Nightspots defy warnings

Nightspots defy warnings

TANGERANG (JP): A number of shop houses here have been
operating as entertainment centers despite the mayoralty
administration reprimanding the owners for violating their
business licenses.

Head of the municipal tourism agency Kusnawan said on Thursday
that the shop-house owners only held licenses to run restaurants.

"We have never permitted them to operate nightspots. We have
frequently told them to desist from operating their illegal
businesses, but none of them have answered our summonses, not to
mention complied with our request," Kusnawan complained.

He said he had reported the case to both Mayor Thamrin and the
municipal public order agency.

"It's not my job to say why these illegal nightspots are still
operating," he said.

The shop-houses involved are situated near the Karawaci toll
gate, Pinangsia shopping complex and in Panunggangan subdistrict.

Some of the entertainment centers, which bear names such as
Kau dan Aku (You and Me), Tomato, Paradise, King, and Kampung
Kafe offer karaoke and live music performances. Their customers
are mostly South Koreans.

Reports say that a number of illegal nightspots in the
mayoralty provide prostitutes.

Tangerang is home to hundreds of factories, many of them
established through foreign investment.

Mayor Thamrin has ordered the municipal public order agency to
close down the illegal entertainment centers in Pinangsia.

"These (entertainment) places must be clamped down on because
the area is supposed to be for offices and shops," Thamrin said
recently.

An operation to close the nightspots failed three months ago,
when hundreds of the nightspot employees put up strong
opposition. (41)