Hundreds of community members from Margadana District, Tegal City, including religious leaders, Islamic students (santri), and local residents, returned to the Tegal City DPRD building on Friday (3/7/2026). This action follows a similar protest held the previous week, expressing firm rejection of the operational plans for the nightlife venue, Helen's Night Mart.
The crowd argued that the presence of the business is far from ideal due to its close proximity to residential areas and several religious educational institutions. Resident representative Taufik highlighted the city government's excuse, which frequently links licensing issues to the Online Single Submission (OSS) system. According to him, the OSS is merely an administrative tool that cannot be used to justify ignoring regulations at the regional level.
Responding to the demands, Chairman of Commission II of the Tegal City DPRD, Zaenal Nurohman, revealed that his side had conducted an in-depth investigation into the business permit. The results showed that the operational permit for the bar category had not yet received verification or approval from the Central Java Provincial Government, meaning the activity lacks a complete legal basis.
Zaenal added that the DPRD is committed to enforcing Regional Regulation No. 5 of 2015 on Tourism Businesses. The legislative body promised to conduct strict oversight and recommend forced closure if management insists on operating without completing valid licensing documents.
Speaker of the Tegal City DPRD, Kusnendro, emphasized that the rejection is not rooted in antipathy toward investment, but rather on legal compliance. He stressed that every business operator in Tegal City must comply with existing regulations to maintain social order and respect the rights of the surrounding community.
