Jakarta provincial government urged not to turn a blind eye to suspected child prostitution in West Jakarta
Hardiyanto Kenneth, a member of the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD DKI Jakarta) from the PDI Perju faction, has urged the Jakarta provincial government (Pemprov DKI Jakarta) not to turn a blind eye to suspected child prostitution in the Lokasari area of Tamansari, West Jakarta.
He stressed that the alleged practice is a humanitarian crime that cannot be tolerated and must be thoroughly investigated.
’ Jakarta must not be a safe haven for sexual predators and human trafficking syndicates,’ Kenneth stated in remarks to Kompas.com on Friday (29 May 202).
He emphasised that local authorities must not solely rely on police investigations but should proactively implement prevention measures on the ground.
‘The public has the right to question whether current surveillance is effective. There must be no tolerance or involvement of corrupt officials. Everything must be transparent and dealt with firmly,’ Kenneth said.
He also urged stringent oversight of hotels, apartments, and night entertainment venues that could be misused for prostitution activities.
Kenn highlighted the importance of cyber patrols, as sexual exploitation of children is suspected to occur via social media and digital platforms.
Previously, police are investigating a viral video allegedly showing an underage girl being offered to a Japanese national in Lokasari, Tamansari, West Jakarta.
In the viral social media video, suspected pimps can be heard stating that the girls being offered are aged 15 to 17 years.
However, Tamansari Metro Police station chief Kompol Bobby M Zulfikar stated that authorities are still verifying the video’s authenticity and cannot confirm the location or identities of those involved.
Police also noted a previous similar report was deemed unproven, while the latest report remains under investigation.
The Jakarta provincial government has moved to address the suspected child prostitution in Lokasari, Tamansari, West Jakarta, stating it will not tolerate any form of sexual exploitation of children.