FPI executives hail Sutiyoso for closing nightspots
FPI executives hail Sutiyoso for closing nightspots
JAKARTA (JP): Executives from the Islamic Defenders Front
(FPI) expressed their satisfaction on Friday over Governor
Sutiyoso's decision to temporarily close all nightspots during
the Ramadhan fasting month.
"We are 75 percent happy with the closing," FPI's commander
Muhsin Alattas told reporters after a meeting with Sutiyoso and
representatives from the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI).
"It's impossible to be 100 percent satisfied. We have to
compromise on such things," he added.
According to Muhsin, the most important thing to come from the
governor's ruling is that the city administration has started
accommodating the demands of the Muslim community.
Sutiyoso announced on Thursday evening the closing of all
discotheques, billiard centers, night clubs and sauna parlors
during the Muslim holy month.
Other types of nighttime entertainment centers, such as
massage parlors run by the blind, pubs, and live music halls,
have to follow the existing rules on opening hours.
"The closure was a good step and the governor had expressed
his intention to cooperate further with us," said Muhsin.
"But this (the nightspot victory) is not the end of
everything. We will also keep on monitoring and observing the
nighttime entertainments that are still operating," Muhsin said.
FPI, which claims to have 30,000 members in Jakarta alone and
branches already established in 15 provinces across the country,
broke into the City Hall on Monday and blockaded the building for
more than nine hours to press their demands.
Governor Sutiyoso said the city administration could ask the
FPI to help in the monitoring of drug-dealing and prostitution in
nightspots.
"We can have them as partners but their actions must be
proportional and they must coordinate with those of the city authorities,"
the governor said after Friday's meeting.
"They (FPI) will help by providing information to us," he
added.
Regular efforts
According to Muhsin, the front had regularly informed the city
administration by letter about any vice its members had
encountered at nightspots.
"We had even given a deadline of two weeks to the authorities
to solve the problems. The physical actions taken were only as a
last resort," he said.
Muhsin insisted the front was an independent organization and
had nothing to do with the Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen.
Noegroho Djajoesman.
"We're independent and open to any parties wishing to
cooperate with us in upholding justice," he said.
"One thing for sure, it was Noegroho who approached us and
we've never been served by the city police," Muhsin said.
Commenting on Wednesday's arson attack on the Christian-run
Doulos complex in East Jakarta, Muhsin said FPI had nothing to do
with the incident.
"There have been no instructions to our members to attack and
burn the complex," he said.
He said such groundless allegations were probably based on the
clothing worn by the attackers.
"They were reportedly wearing masks and black robes. Those are
not our uniforms," Muhsin insisted.
However, he admitted there had been cases where people wearing
FPI's uniform had behaved illegally.
"We have received reports that several discotheques have been
blackmailed by individuals wearing our uniforms," he said.
"They were simply an effort to discredit FPI." (05)