Cohabitation is a vice in Lampung

JAKARTA (JP): The city of Bandar Lampung in the southern tip of Sumatra has stretched its new anti-vice bylaw to include cohabitation.

Mayor Nurdin Muhayat was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying that the practice of couples living together outside of wedlock is "another form of prostitution".

He emphasized that the city will not tolerate kumpul kebo, the Indonesian derogatory term for cohabitation, which literally means "buffalo life style".

On Tuesday, the Bandar Lampung City Council endorsed the new anti-vice law, which imposes a maximum jail term of three months, or a fine of Rp 50,000 ($24), on offenders.

Mayor Nurdin said he was ready to enforce the regulation and called on the participation of all citizens. "Please report any acts of vice to the authorities. I'll act on your reports," he promised.

The new bylaw empowers the city authorities to organize joint anti-vice operations with the police and judges, and to hold on- the-spot trials of offenders.

Bandar Lampung had already taken anti-vice measures before the regulation was enacted by the City Council.

The municipality recently closed down two brothels in Panjang district. But plans to send the prostitutes back to their home villages will have to wait until next year because of budget constraints. (emb)