Illegal nightspots in Karawaci shut down

Illegal nightspots in Karawaci shut down

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Tangerang residents will have to look elsewhere for entertainment
on weekends, as the Tangerang municipal administration has closed
down several night spots at the busy Pinangsia Office Park Center
in Karawaci on Saturday.

The closure was made following public protests over the
presence of the entertainment centers which have no permits.

"Mayor Wahidin Halim instructed the closure of those places
because their presence has created a disturbance," Public Order
Agency head Edwan Firmansyah said on Saturday.

The agency sealed the nightspots in the afternoon when they
were about to open, particularly those which present strippers,
he added.

Public protests reached a peak on Wednesday, when Jatiuwung
Police arrested a stripper while performing in a room of the
Golden Belt Karaoke lounge in Pinangsia office park.

The arrest was made during a police raid on gambling,
prostitution and the sale of liquor.

The administration is striving to clean up the city of
prostitution and gambling.

Councillor Abbas Sunarya, chairman of Commission B that
oversees trade, industry, cooperatives and tourism issues at the
municipal council said that the presence of nightspots at
Pinangsia was clearly illegal because none of them had
obtained permits from the administration.

"We are scheduled to discuss the matter on Monday and we will
summon related agencies and all operators of the nightspots that
are mostly owned by foreign nationals," he said.

Non-governmental activists also demanded that the
administration take stern measures against unscrupulous officers.

"We want the head of Tangerang Trade, Industry, Cooperatives
and Tourism Agency as well as the head of the Public Order Agency
to resign because they have failed to do their job," said Mahdi,
the chairman of the Save Tangerang Forum.

Tonny Wismantoro, coordinator of Tangerang Government Watch,
added that the two agencies were responsible for controling
amusement centers. "But there are many illegal nightspots allowed
to operate here."

Meanwhile, Jatiuwung Police chief Adj. Insp. Adex Yudisman
said that the police had summoned and questioned DN, the owner of
the Golden Belt Karaoke.

"We have summoned and questioned DN but we have yet to decide
his legal status in the case ... He claimed he knew nothing about
the strip dance for the guests," he explained.