Governor warns nightclubs used for drug dealing

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday that the city will revoke the operation permits of public establishments used for drug dealing.

The governor has instructed the city's tourism agency to follow President Soeharto's instruction to close down any discotheques caught being used for dealing Ecstasy or other illegal substances.

"The establishments will not get another chance to operate in the city. We will not wait until their permits are due," Surjadi told reporters.

"People need discotheques, bars, nightclubs and the like to relax. They need 'clean' places, therefore I will make sure that there will be no delinquent establishments, " he said.

City Council Speaker M.H. Ritonga supported the governor's decision, saying that there is no way the managements could not know about the illicit activities taking place.

"It is impossible not to know. They just turn their heads. Therefore, firm action against them is appropriate," Ritonga said.

President Soeharto told Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas on Tuesday that the operation permits of establishments must be monitored.

Azwar said that the President also instructed the mayors not to give permits to businesses wanting to open new discotheques in the mayoralty.

There are 3,174 night establishments in the city. According to city data, 17 have been warned for Ecstasy violations.

Ecstasy has become one of the most difficult drugs for law enforcers to control in the capital.

The son of a very influential figure is reportedly the mastermind behind the illicit circulation of Ecstasy in Jakarta. Sources say that discotheque owners are afraid to close at 2:00 a.m, when the man and his gang are usually still present.

Meanwhile, a police officer was recently found dead after taking Ecstasy in a discotheque in West Jakarta.

In a raid on three discotheques last week police found clients in possession of Ecstasy. However, the city administration did not revoke the permits of the establishments.

So far, the public order office has only revoked the permit of one discotheque, Ganesha, for violating its hours of operation. (yns)

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