348 entertainment venues shut down for breaches
JAKARTA (JP): The municipality sealed 348 entertainment centers last year, including 28 last month, for violating regulations, an official said over the weekend.
Head of City Order Office, Hadi Utomo, said the centers, including nightclubs, bars, discotheques and massage parlors, were closed because as well as contravening regulations, most were being used for "obscene" activities.
"For instance, massage parlors and motels were being used for prostitution, pool halls for gambling, night clubs and discotheques for drug dealing... so, we had no choice but to stop them from operating," Hadi said.
According to regulations, entertainment spots which repeatedly violate the rules (sealed more than three times) will have their permits revoked.
"If they want to apply for new permits, they have to undergo special screening tests and have their permits checked by related parties, including the City Order Office, City Tourism Agency, City Fire Department and City Control and Supervision Office of Building and Development. They must also have a recommendation from the Jakarta Police," said Toha Reno, head of City Order and Entertainment Office Subdivision.
For minor violations, such as operating over opening hours regulations, the centers could be either given a warning letter, or sealed off temporarily if they violated the same regulation more than three times.
"The length of temporary closure depends on the mistakes they've made. It could range from two weeks to six months," he said, refusing to elaborate.
The 348 reprimanded centers were part of 3,322 entertainment spots currently operating in Jakarta. They comprise 335 bars, 317 movie theaters, 89 barber shops, 97 video game centers, 235 billiard shooting pools, 92 amusement centers, 139 discotheques, 157 hotels, 10 night clubs, 97 karaoke, 43 health centers, 132 live musics entertainment, 22 motels, 10 spas, 226 massage parlors and 1,321 restaurants.
Out of the 28 entertainment centers sealed last month, seven had violated the ban on New Year's Eve celebrations, as stated in a gubernatorial decree dated Dec. 11.
In the decree, all entertainment spots were banned from hosting New Year celebrations and must be closed for six specified days during Ramadhan and the Idul Fitri holidays.
The seven spots temporarily closed were: the Dewi and Royal massage parlors, West Jakarta; Furama Karaoke, Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta; Muara Karang's Games Center, North Jakarta; Kakatua Restaurants, Sunter, North Jakarta; and Akoya Live Music and Entertainment and the Travel Hotel, Mangga Besar, West Jakarta.
"We have submitted the results of our routine operation to Governor Sutiyoso. Now it is up to him to decide the fate of those places," Hadi said.
Sutiyoso has been ordering his officials to consistently apply the rules and seal off entertainment places which do not abide by the rules.
"I don't care who owns them. If they are violating the regulations, they must be punished in line with the existing rules. Sanctions are necessary to enforce the law," Sutiyoso said at a New Year's Eve prayer gathering at Ancol Art Market, Central Jakarta.
"Some of those places have been sealed off and on over a period of time. We intend to keep tight control and supervision over these places. We understand that entertainment centers constitute one of the biggest contributors to the city's tax and revenues.
"That is why we want them to be developed as part of the city's assets. I believe if the businesspeople or owners of those spots were willing to obey the rules, they wouldn't face any problems," Hadi said.
He said he has also intensified control and supervision within his office to prevent collusion between officials and businesspeople.
"So far, we have managed to take stern action against a number of negligent officers," Hadi said, refusing to elaborate.
Meanwhile, City Councilor Djafar Badjeber, head of Commission B for economic affairs, said that the municipality must take stern action against the owners of problematic spots.
"Revoke their permits permanently if need be," Djafar said. "Don't show them leniency just because some officials want to gain personal profits," he added. (edt)