Rp 8b fund questioned

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council has questioned the release of an Rp 8 billion (US$888,888) fund which was reportedly to be used by the North Jakarta Mayoralty for the removal of 12 brothels and the clearance of the land in the Kramat Tunggak former red-light area, North Jakarta.

Councillor Tubagus Sofyan of the council's Commission E for social welfare affairs said some councillors visited the location and could not find the 12 brothels.

"We only found four former brothels which we already knew existed," Tubagus of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) said Monday.

He said the administration allocated Rp 74 billion for the clearance of 240 brothels in the prostitution complex which was officially closed two years ago. The mayoralty earlier demanded an additional fund of Rp 8 billion for clearance of the 12 brothels.(jun)