Residents protest reopening of hotel

Residents protest reopening of hotel

TANGERANG (JP): About 200 residents of Kadu village in Curug
district stormed Transelindo Hotel here Thursday, protesting the
management's plan to reopen the hotel after it was damaged during
the May 14 riot.

The protesters, who destroyed the hotel's security guard post
and pulled down its signpost, objected because the hotel had a
bar and karaoke hall. They demanded the management build a
supermarket on the site.

Wibisono, one of the hotel's executives, said the hotel owners
decided to renovate the damaged hotel even though they suffered
losses of about Rp 2 billion because of the riot.

"Due to the fresh protest, we don't know whether the hotel
will continue," he said.

Tangerang mayoralty spokeswoman Ena Karlina deplored the
protest, saying the hotel management had completed all the
required permits.

Ena said the mayoralty would investigate the incident to
determine if it was organized by a particular group. (41/jun)