FPI offers to join antivice task force

JAKARTA (JP): The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) offered its services on Tuesday to help curb vice in Jakarta as councillors pondered a proposal for a new task force.

"FPI, as a member of society, is willing to help in restoring order in the entertainment centers," FPI chief of staff Reza Pahlevi told The Jakarta Post.

FPI would be willing to provide personnel to make up for the shortage in the administration and the police for such a task force, he said.

The Association of Entertainment Centers Owners (Aspehindo) has called for the establishment of a security task force to clamp down on entertainment operators which allowed prostitution and drug trafficking in their establishments.

Ironically, the association made the call in response to frequent raids by FPI against its members on grounds that they were suspected to be involved in vice trade.

The association proposed the inclusion of its representatives as well as the police, the tourism agency, the revenue agency, the social development office, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the organization of land transportation owners in the task force (Organda).

While welcoming the proposal, Reza expressed skepticism that the task force could effectively curb prostitution, alcohol and drug trafficking in the entertainment business.

"Police have made many promises to eradicate drugs before, but we believe some officers are actually behind this dirty business," Reza said.

Members of the City Council meanwhile were divided over the Aspehindo call for a new task force, although most agreed that the administration had failed to curb the rampant vice trade in the entertainment business.

Bimo Hastoro, the secretary of Commission D on Development and a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said Aspehindo's demand reflected the administration's failure in its job.

H.A.H Ishak, deputy chief of the National Awakening Party (PKB), also said that such a task force could not be expected to remain in existence for a long time.

Its job would eventually have to be returned to the administration, he said.

Ishak Iskandar, another PDI Perjuangan councillor, said the FPI had taken the law into its hands in raiding the entertainment places and added that its actions would hurt their business. (06)