Nightspots get green light to reopen

Nightspots get green light to reopen

or

City gives green light to delinquent nightspots to reopen

JAKARTA: The city administration said on Thursday that it had
granted permission for two West Jakarta nightspots, forced to
shut down for selling ecstasy, to reopen after the management
promised in writing to ban drugs from being sold on the premises.

Governor Sutiyoso said the management of the singing hall at
the New Barcelona and the karaoke lounge at Hotel Travel had
submitted written statements, saying that they would not provide
patrons with drugs on the premises.

His decision was in contradiction to his reaction on Monday
when reporters said both establishments had reopened just several
days after they were closed by authorities. At that time,
Sutiyoso blasted the management of the two nightspots, vowing to
take stern action against them.

The governor led a raid in the early morning of May 13 on the
New Barcelona in the Lokasari area, which resulted in the seizure
of 16 ecstasy pills and the arrest of three suspects: the
manager, a security guard and a waitress.

On May 16 before dawn, Sutiyoso led a second raid on the
singing hall at Hotel Travel on Jl. Mangga Besar, which resulted
in the seizure of 13 ecstasy pills. Two suspects were arrested:
the hall's deputy manager and the public relations manager.

City councillors lauded the governor's action, but questioned
why only small nightspots were targeted. They considered the
raids to be an image booster for him ahead of the next
gubernatorial race.

In other matters, Sutiyoso said he would dismiss a civil
servant, Wahyudi, at the West Jakarta mayoralty's tourism agency
if he was found guilty of trafficking marijuana.

Police reportedly raided the man's house in the Matraman area
of East Jakarta on Tuesday night, seizing four kilograms of
marijuana.

Wahyudi escaped, but his wife, Titin, was arrested by
police.--JP