Former red-light district to become Islamic center<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration revealed on Friday its
\nplan to convert the former Kramat Tunggak brothel area in North
\nJakarta into an integrated Islamic center.<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor of social welfare affairs Djailani said the
\ncenter which would be built in the 11-hectare area, would be
\nequipped with education facilities and a bazaar.<\/p>\n
"It will be a project of the administration although we would
\nnot reject the involvement of private investors in the project. I
\nhope to start construction soon," he told City Hall reporters.<\/p>\n
Djailani refused to give details on the amount of investment
\nneeded to build the center, saying that the center's design was
\nstill being developed.<\/p>\n
He insisted that the area would not become a trading center as
\nwas planned earlier.<\/p>\n
He said the administration had canceled its memorandum of
\nunderstanding with a private investor who planned to build a
\nshopping complex in the defunct red-light district.<\/p>\n
"We canceled the agreement since it was out of date. The
\ninvestors were also unable to implement their plan," Djailani
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The administration signed an agreement with a consortium of
\ninvestors to develop the former brothel complex in early 1999.<\/p>\n
The consortium's leader PT Nuansa Jasa Realtindo, reportedly
\ndoubted it would earn any profit from the project because of the
\nskyrocketing prices of building materials.<\/p>\n
The investor said it also had difficulty obtaining credit from
\nbanks to finance the project since the country was still facing
\nan economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso officially closed down the largest
\nbrothel complex in Jakarta on Dec. 8, 1999, following demands
\nfrom local residents.<\/p>\n
The closure caused about 1,600 prostitutes and their 200 pimps
\nin 650 brothels to lose their jobs. Some of them changed their
\ntrade and the others returned to their hometowns.<\/p>\n
Since the plan to build the shopping complex was never
\nrealized, some brothels quietly started to resume operations.<\/p>\n
Djailani urged the North Jakarta Mayoralty to take stern
\nactions against the prostitution.<\/p>\n
"It's illegal. We should kick them out," the deputy governor
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
He admitted that in an effort to restore Kramat Tunggak's
\nimage, the administration was considering changing its name but
\nhad not made a final decision because this would affect other
\naspects such as the legal considerations, he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, city councillor Wasilah Sutrisno of the National
\nMandate Party voiced his support for the administration's plan to
\nbuild the Islamic center in the former red-light district.<\/p>\n
"If necessary, we should allocate the fund from the 2001 City
\nBudget," Wasilah, of the council's Commission E for social
\nwelfare affairs, said.(jun)<\/p>",
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