Religious complex, brothels form uneasy neighbors

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The city administration says it is determined to push ahead with the construction of the Jakarta Islamic Center in Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta -- an area that was previously home to hundreds of brothels -- so as to thwart the return of prostitutes to the locality.

"We've already finished the first-stage construction of the grand mosque. We will continue the project next year by constructing more buildings," said Djaelani, the manager of Islamic Center project, at City Hall on Wednesday.

The center will have a 14,000-square-meter training center equipped with a language laboratory, classrooms, a library and a seminar hall. It will also have 21,000 square meters of commercial space, comprising a hotel, convention center and gallery.

Once the center is complete, it will be able to host Islamic cultural and religious activities, as well serving as a center for Islamic studies.

Djaelani estimated that the construction of both the training center and the commercial premises would cost around Rp 180 billion (US$19.78 million).

"Hopefully, the whole complex will be ready for use in 2007," he said.

He said the project had faced financial constraints. "We have had to rely solely on the city budget so far. Therefore, we would invite the public and other Islamic countries to help finance the center's development."

The administration spent Rp 110 billion on land acquisition and the construction of the three-story mosque, which it is estimated can hold 20,000 people. The mosque also has a 66 meter by 66 meter main prayer hall that can accommodate 7,000 people. There are no pillars, with the "space frame" construction technique being employed. The mosque has been open to the public since October 2002.

Djaelani said the main reason for finishing the project was to change the image of the area from a red-light district to an area associated with religious activities.

"Governor Sutiyoso has thrown his weight behind the completion of the project," he said.

The Kramat Tunggak red-light district was closed by the administration in September 1999.

However, the area near the mosque is now occupied by street vendors, with sex workers still to be seen plying their trade.

"I have asked North Jakarta Mayor Effendy Anas to help relocate the street vendors and the sex workers. I don't want to see the positive image of the area that we have been trying to build up being destroyed," Djaelani said.