Hotel Mega told to suspend entertainment

Hotel Mega told to suspend entertainment

JAKARTA (JP): East Jakarta Mayor Andi Mapaganti said on Friday
that he had ordered the management of Hotel Mega Matra on Jl.
Matraman Raya to discontinue its entertainment services to avoid
more attacks by residents of nearby Berlan Army housing complex.

"I will send an official letter to the hotel ordering it to
stop its entertainment services. Meanwhile, the hotel's
management has already stopped its live music programs," Andi
said at City Hall.

He also urged the hotel's management to dismiss its security
guards for their alleged involvement in the torture of a Berlan
resident.

The management has been advised to donate some money to
relatives of the victim, he said.

The victim was questioned at the Jakarta Military Police
Headquarters in Guntur, South Jakarta, but was later rushed to
Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for medical treatment.

Upon hearing of their fellow resident's death, Berlan youths,
attacked and attempted to burn the hotel.

Residents of Berlan subdistrict have been involved in fights,
over various reasons, with residents in the Palmeriam and
Kayumanis subdistricts for years. The Palmeriam residents are
known as "operators" of the on-street parking near the hotel.

The city administration recently built a three-meter-high iron
fence along the median strip of Jl Matraman to keep the Berlan,
and Palmeriam and Kayumanis residents from clashing. The effort
appears to be fruitless as clashes between the neighboring
communities are still occurring.

Governor Sutiyoso has repeatedly expressed his concern over
the brawls in Matraman.

"It's very sad, how could they (brawls) happen in one area for
years," Sutiyoso said on Friday.

However, Andi said this week's brawl was not between residents
of Berlan and Kayumanis.

"It's different from previous brawls. Kayumanis residents,
used to fight Berlan residents in the past. But in this incident,
Kayumanis residents supported Berlan residents (in their fight
against the hotel's security guards)," he said. (jun)