Kramat Tunggak facing sluggish business
By A'an Suryana
JAKARTA (JP): The sparkling life at the Kramat Tunggak red- light district, which is slated to be closed down next Wednesday, has been on the decline for some time.
The slow business and slumbering atmosphere at the city's oldest, largest and official sex business complex, located not far from the busy Tanjung Priok port, can now be witnessed even on weekends.
Last Friday evening, for example, many of the 221 brothels inside the 10.4-hectare complex, which used to be home to 1,600 prostitutes, were empty.
Dozens of the remaining prostitutes were seen standing in front of their respective dimly-lit brothels, with the noisy sound of songs coming from giant speakers, waiting for customers.
The following day, the complex witnessed a similar atmosphere.
Motorcycles and cars parked in the complex's two large parking lots only occupied less than half of the available space.
On the other hand, the two-lane street of Jl. Kramat Jaya in front of the brothel complex was still crowded with passing container trucks, taxis and motorcycles.
Several potential customers walked along the pathways of the prostitution complex, searching for the right targets.
According to Asmat, a chicken satay vendor who has been running his business at the complex for years, such a subdued circumstance has gripped business in the area since last June's general election.
"A large number of prostitutes here have gone back to their respective hometowns (ahead of the city's plan to close the brothel complex)," the 37-year-old food seller said.
Like many of the complex's occupants, Asmat and other street vendors have remained doubtful about their business and future after the closure of the complex.
"I, for example, should find other places where I can sell my satay," Asmat said on Saturday.
Still tight
Notwithstanding the idle business in the red-light district, the rules of games are still tight.
At 12:30 at midnight on Friday, for instance, one of the young guards at the complex struck a mast several times -- a signal for customers to immediately leave the rooms, prostitutes to stop receiving clients, and brothel owners to turn off music and close the doors.
Like obedient citizens, most of the people inside the arena followed the instructions at once.
Several minutes later, a group of three security officials were seen conducting a room-to-room inspection, looking for customers who might have decided to violate the rules by staying overnight with the women at the brothels.
Those who were netted would be charged Rp 15,000 (US$2.15) each.
While business inside the complex had ended, that outside began to gear up.
A number of young prostitutes, who were not members of the complex, were seen hanging out at certain spots on Jl. Kramat Jaya.
"They're usually looking for clients on this street until 3 o'clock in the morning," street vendor Khadijah said.
According to Husen, a senior city social agency official whose office at the Teratai Harapan rehabilitation center is located next to the complex, the location now only has some 320 prostitutes.
The other 1,280 prostitutes had been asked to leave the complex in different batches after being provided with several courses and skills for their future, he explained.
"Some of them are working at certain factories here, while others have gone back to their respective hometowns," Husen said.
He, however, doubted that the authorities' plan to close the red-light district could then end the entire problem. He worried that prostitutes forced to leave the Kramat Tunggak brothels might later flood the capital's streets.
"They may also go to illegal brothel complexes here, such as those in the nearby Plumpang and Pela-pela areas," he said.
Moreover, he added, the street in front of the Kramat Tunggak complex was swamped with many new and young prostitutes every night.
"They are there since they are not allowed to register themselves as prostitutes in the complex anymore," Husen said.
The girls then rented houses near the complex and served their customers at nearby motels.
Doubts
Although the government has so far shown their seriousness about their plan, the remaining prostitutes, pimps and brothel owners -- whose numbers have been rapidly shrinking as part of the termination -- still harbor the belief that the authorities are not serious about executing their plan to close and bulldoze the brothels on Dec. 8, the day before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan begins.
According to them, the city administration was merely attempting to snarl at them. They strongly believe that they will be allowed again to offer their services after Idul Fitri in the first week of January next year.
"We are sure the complex will operate again after Idul Fitri," said Maya (not her real name), 19, a prostitute at the Nusa Bunga 98 brothel.
She therefore has made no significant preparations for the Dec. 8 closure.
Maya proved her remarks by showing all her belongings which are still in their places inside her two meters by one and a half meters room.
Everything, including the woman's accessories and her clothes remained in their places. The pictures of her regular clients and two pornographic postcards still decorated her room's mini bathroom.
"But if the government insists on closing the complex, I will join with a brothel owner who's ready to run the business illegally after Ramadhan," Maya, who hails from Karawang in West Java, said.
Her remark was supported by a brothel keeper, who said that brothel owners had pledged to operate again after the Muslim fasting month.
"Our brothel owner Mursit has said she will obey the government's policy to close her brothel here since she has already built a bar in Indramayu of West Java (to run the same business).
But, if other owners here open their brothels after Ramadhan, she will of course do the same thing," said Djoko, a brothel keeper.