Disco ban abused

BEKASI, West Java (JP): The regency's ban on discotheques last year has been abused by entertainment operators while the authorities have been lax in their enforcement of the regulation, according to young people in the area.

Eleven sites licensed as sanggar tari (dance workshops), have been found operating similar activities to discotheques, patrons of the workshops said.

However when officials examined the 11 sites they did not discover any violations.

The regency's public relations, officer Atang Sudjana said licenses are issued for workshops which provide dancing lessons.

"Workshops operating as discotheques are violating rules," he said, without commenting on any possibility of collusion.

In star-rated hotels such as the Horison, he said, discotheques are also banned. The ban is aimed to reduce negative foreign influences, Atang said.

However the "dance workshops" are often full despite the ban.

An official of the local tourism office said his office has received complaints from local community leaders rejecting the sale of liquor in the regency.

"We cannot take action against the workshops which sell liquor because they do not violate existing regulations," the tourism official who refused to be identified said. (kod)