Prostitutes go on strike in Kupang

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

Hundreds of hoodlums, gambling bosses and prostitutes grouped under the The Poor People's Union (SKM) went on strike on Wednesday in Kupang, capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, demanding the city administration and legislative council legalize gambling and prostitution.

The demonstrators said the city administration could introduce a bylaw to legalize gambling and prostitution in a restricted area of the city. They said this would help raise the municipal administration's income and create job opportunities for hoodlums and prostitutes.

Jefri Leonard Un Taolin, spokesman for The Poor People's Union, said in a free speech forum held at Kupang's mayoralty office that gambling and prostitution in the city should be legalized because 80 percent of the city's residents were living in poverty.

"This will also raise the city's income," he said.

Kupang Mayor S.K. Lerik ruled out the demonstrators' demands, saying the city administration would never legalize gambling and prostitution because they were against Indonesian culture and morality.

"The morality of young people would be severely disrupted if gambling and prostitution were legalized," he said.

Gambling and prostitution have become topical issues here after 30 members of the Kupang legislative council held a comparative study in Bogor in West Java, Manado in South Sulawesi and Denpasar in Bali several weeks ago to seek the possibility of legalizing gambling and prostitution in the city.

Gambling and prostitution are both illegal, yet there were no arrests made during the demonstration.