City not to revoke discotheque's permit

City not to revoke discotheque's permit

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has decided not to
revoke the permit of Hailai discotheque in Ancol, North Jakarta,
as closing it down for good would be against the law, an official
said on Monday.

The head of the city public order office, Kusaeni Budiantoro,
said that there is no regulation allowing authorities to close
down the disco. Its boss was found guilty of possession of
marijuana. "We can be sued for revoking its operation permit just
because its boss is guilty," he said.

Hendro Sumampouw was arrested by the police in July after
being caught with marijuana and Ecstasy in his car. Soon after
his arrest, Kusaeni had announced that Hailai would be closed
down if Hendro was found guilty.

Last month the North Jakarta District Court found Hendro
guilty and sentenced him to three months in jail with a six month
probationary period, and fined him Rp 5 million (US$2,173).
However, Kusaeni said yesterday that after thorough discussion
with the relevant authorities, his office had called off the plan
to punish the discotheque.

He said Hendro's offense had nothing to do with Hailai
as he was arrested outside the discotheque, and the court
accepted that the marijuana in his car did not belong to him. The
prosecutor had earlier decided not to charge Hendro with
possession of the seven Ecstasy pills found in his vehicle.

No reasons were given for this.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja had also asked him to consider the
employees fate before punishing the nightclub.

"What will happen to them if we revoke the permit? There are
more than 300 people working there," he said.

Hailai contributes to the city's revenues and is a tourist
attraction, he said.

"Each night about 600 people visit the discotheque and 40
percent of the visitors are foreigners," he said.

The authority closed Hailai down temporarily when Hendro was
arrested. The disco opened again last Saturday. (yns)