Security committee fo nightspots to be formed
Security committee fo nightspots to be formed
JAKARTA (JP): Nightspot operators are forming a committee with
officials from related city institutions next month to monitor
security at their premises following recent incidents of mob
violence and vandalism, a prospective committee executive said on
Saturday.
Secretary general of the Indonesian Association of
Entertainment Center Owners (Aspehindo), Adrian Maelite, told The
Jakarta Post on Saturday that funding for the committee was
expected to come from the city budget since entertainment spots
regularly provided revenue to the administration.
"The committee, however, will not have any authority to take
action against any violators. It will only report its findings to
the authorities," Adrian said.
He said committee members would first warn operators who were
found violating existing laws or city regulations.
"We (nightspot operators) don't want to be made victims on
account of delinquent operators," he added.
Adrian explained that the team members would consist of
personnel from the Jakarta Police and other related institutions
in the capital, such as the Tourist Agency, Revenue Agency,
Public Order Office, Social Development Office, the Organization
of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) and the Indonesian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Jakarta).
The committee, he added, would also help police stop drug
distribution at nightspots.
"We can't just give all the responsibility to the police. This
is a coordinated effort by entertainment operators to cleanse
drugs from our premises," he said.
"On the other hand, we also demand police act promptly upon
our reports. The police always say that they know nothing of such
cases. Now that we'll report the cases to them the police must
take stern action," added Adrian.
Adrian said each of the some 200 licensed entertainment
centers in the committee, such as discotheques, pubs and karaoke
halls, would be allowed to send three to five representatives to
the committee, depending upon the size of their businesses.
"Larger centers could send more," he said.
The operation of the committee, he said, would be financed by
the nightspot operators.
"But we also expect a subsidy from the city administration
because we also contribute money to the budget," he said.
"The most important thing is that our operation will enable
thousands of workers to earn a living. It means we are helping
the economic gears to move," he added.
A number of groups, including those attired in the uniform of
the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), have recently attacked venues
they consider vice centers. These arbitrary actions by the
front's activists have been criticized by residents.
"Jakarta as the capital city should have entertainment places
that operate all night long," Adrian said, before expressing the
association's wish to be allowed to run its businesses during the
Muslim Ramadhan fasting month.
"We are talking about employment here and feeding our
employees and their families," he argued.
Governor Sutiyoso has banned bars, discos and other nightspots
from operating in previous fasting months.
Adrian guaranteed that the committee members would not hide
any violations found, saying they wanted to maintain a good
image.
"We will use a persuasive approach on operators who, for
example, are exceeding the 2 a.m. closing period," he said.
"It's our intention to get rid of defiant operators tarnishing
our image. We don't want to be the target of public anger," he
said. (nvn)