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Bogor florists deplore prohibition of Valentine’s Day celebration
A florist in Bogor Regency, West Java, spoke about the effect of the city administration's call for its residents not to celebrate the Valentine's Day, which it said was not part of Indonesian culture.
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Roses are a favourite for Valentine's Day, weddings, and anniversaries -- considered by some to be a symbol of love. (Shutterstock/Prezoom.nl)
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florist in Bogor Regency, West Java, spoke out about the effect of the city administration's call for its residents not to celebrate Valentine's Day, which it said was not part of Indonesian culture.
Johan Hasanudin, 23, a florist since 2013, said his shop’s revenue had decreased drastically on Valentine's Day since 2017. Before that, he was able to earn around Rp 4 million (US$271) during the celebration.
"In 2017, revenue decreased by half to around Rp 2 million. It continues to decrease each year," he said on Wednesday, adding that the drop was likely due to the administration’s stance against Valentine’s Day.
Bogor Regent Ade Yasin has urged residents not to celebrate Valentine's Day.
"I believe that residents understand why. We call on residents not to celebrate [Valentine's Day] because that's not our culture," Ade told reporters on Wednesday as quoted by tribunnewsbogor.com.
The Bogor Education Agency has also distributed a letter, dated Feb. 12, to principals of junior high schools in Bogor, stating a similar suggestion.
"We call on each student in Bogor not to celebrate Valentine's Day. We will not punish those who do celebrate it, but it all depends on each parent. This letter was issued because [the concept of] affection [on Valentine's Day] does not fit the character-building sought by the Bogor administration," he said, adding that the letter was sent out each year. (sau)
