No new permits for discotheques: City official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The municipality announced it will not issue new
\npermits for discotheques for an indefinite period, given several
\nviolations of permits discovered during a number of raids.<\/p>\n
Kusaeni Budiantoro, the head of the city's public order
\noffice, admitted that the decision against issuing permits for
\nnew discotheques was spurred by the discovery of drugs,
\nparticularly Ecstasy, in several recent raids.<\/p>\n
Last week, the results of an autopsy on a 26-year-old girl
\nfound dead in a West Jakarta discotheque raised preliminary
\nfindings of an overdose on barbiturate pills.<\/p>\n
Other violations of the permits, issued for entertainment
\nprovision, were prostitution and gambling activities, he said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
However, Kusaeni said that public order officials can
\neffectively exercise their authority only when violations of
\nopening hours are found.<\/p>\n
"We have difficulty taking action at places where Ecstasy was
\nreportedly found, as the police do not immediately report their
\nfindings to us," Kusaeni said.<\/p>\n
Other public order officials have also said the threat to
\nclose down discotheques after three subsequent violations is
\ndifficult to carry out.<\/p>\n
The violations of opening hours, occurring between 2 a.m. to 7
\na.m., indicate an "unhealthy competition" between discotheques,
\nKusaeni said.<\/p>\n
"The competition to attract clients means there are enough
\ndiscotheques across the city," Kusaeni said of the 100 sites
\nhere.<\/p>\n
"So we have decided not to add new venues," he said.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, Deputy Governor for Social Welfare R.S. Museno
\ndisclosed the administration will not issue operational permits
\nfor new nightspots in Central, South and North Jakarta. The three
\nmayoralties are plotted for residential areas, not for such
\nestablishments, he said<\/p>\n
Entertainment<\/p>\n
Kusaeni said yesterday that his office has also involved 60
\ndiscotheque owners and managers in an effort to keep their
\nestablishments free of activities other than entertainment.<\/p>\n
"We have encouraged disco owners to form an association,"
\nKuseani said.<\/p>\n
The involvement of owners is aimed at reducing unhealthy
\ncompetition.<\/p>\n
"Owners who have been told to close down after 2 a.m. will
\nreport others who are violating the official hours to us," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The involvement of owners and managers also serves as a check
\nagainst the possibility of officials taking bribes, Kusaeni said.<\/p>\n
"I admit some of my officials are naughty," he said.<\/p>\n
"I just avoid employing the same group of officials in raids."<\/p>\n
However, because of the limited number of personnel -- about
\n100 officials -- in a few weeks, the same officials would be
\ndeployed again, he said.<\/p>\n
The officials involved in the raids are from police
\nheadquarters and the tourism agency.<\/p>\n
The public, particularly discotheque owners and managers, can
\nalso contact Kusaeni at his home to report suspected violations,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Idroes, the deputy governor for governmental
\naffairs, also reiterated that continued action should be taken
\nagainst discotheques which violate their permits.<\/p>\n
"We have issued permits for them to serve as healthy
\nentertainment sites only," he said. (anr)<\/p>",
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