Governor Sutiyoso leads drug raid, two suspects arrested

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso again led a drug raid in a night spot on Jl. Mangga Besar, West Jakarta early on Friday morning and arrested two suspects. But the move was seen as a publicity stunt to improve his tarnished image and his chances to be reelected as the next governor in October.

Wearing a black jacket, hat and jeans like a hero in a spaghetti western film, Sutiyoso was accompanied by City Police Chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara, as they arrived at the Travel Hotel at about 1 a.m. after receiving information about drug transactions at the hotel's karaoke lounge.

Sutiyoso and his entourage burst into the Karaoke lounge which was located on the hotel's second floor and entered singing room No. 8 where two undercover policemen had just arrested two suspects.

The suspects, identified as Herdin, the hotel's deputy manager, and Nunung, its public relations officer, were nabbed for selling eight Ecstasy tablets worth Rp 640,000 (US$64) to the officers.

Scores of journalists and television camera crews, arrived shortly thereafter, just in time to see Sutiyoso checking Nunung's bum bag and finding five Ecstasy tablets.

"I don't choose big or small places in these operations. Some people say that this place was untouchable," Sutiyoso beamed.

The seven-story hotel, with a karaoke area containing 15 singing rooms, is reportedly owned by a businessman reputed to be a gambler, who also owns a newspaper which specializes in crime stories.

The raid caused panic among the hotel clientele and staff as everybody was ordered to produce their identity papers.

The suspects and the hotel's manager, identified only as Zal, were then taken to the City Police headquarters and the karaoke lounge was closed for an indefinite period.

Sutiyoso also planned to raid the Millennium discotheque on Jl. Gajah Mada, West Jakarta, but the night spot was closed, apparently because its management heard about the raid at Hotel Travel.

In many similar cases, drug suspects have often been released shortly after their bosses "lobbied" the police.

On Tuesday, Sutiyoso and his posse raided the New Barcelona swinging hall in the Lokasari area of West Jakarta, arresting three suspects and seizing a grand total of 16 Ecstasy tablets.

Separately, councillor Ahmad Heryawan who is chairman of the city chapter of the Justice Party, welcomed Sutiyoso's action against drug transactions, but questioned why the governor just raided places, which were used for minute drug transactions only.

"It's a good move. But as a former intelligence officer, the governor must know far larger places with big drug transactions," Heryawan, a member of the council's commission E for social welfare, said.

He echoed what many have been saying, that the raid was just a publicity ploy to improve his reputation, as he was earlier criticized for not being serious in handling drug problems in the city.

"I think this is part of his campaign to get reelected as the next governor for his second term in October," he said.

Sutiyoso, who has expressed his willingness to be reelected, reportedly has begun his efforts to block his rivals' moves to be nominated as candidates.