Deputy governor threatens pimps

Deputy Governor for People's Welfare R.S. Museno said over the weekend that the city administration should not only arrest prostitutes, but panderers as well.

"The pimps should be arrested, too and sternly punished because they mastermind the prostitution," Museno said.

Museno was commenting on the recent raid on prostitutes operating in star-rated hotels in the capital city.

As of Thursday, city officials had arrested 24 of the so- called "high-class" prostitutes and 17 others who were operating on the streets.

The prostitutes were taken to the Panti Karya correctional institution in East Jakarta, where they will be taught vocational skills before they are returned to their hometowns.

However, their pimps were reported to have asked the institution's officials to release the prostitutes.

"Don't think that we will bow to their wishes. In fact, we are thinking of bringing the panderers to court," M. Sihombing, the subdivision head of the social rehabilitation section of the city's office for social services, said.

Pos Kota reported that on the average, the high-class prostitutes demanded Rp 300,000 (US$138.7) per short-term session from their clients. (arf)