Sutiyoso to close all brothel complexes

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso made another surprising move over the weekend when he announced that the city administration would close all brothel complexes in the capital.

"All brothel complexes in the city will be closed," Sutiyoso told reporters, but without giving details on the time frame.

The move comes less than a week after the head of the city's social services agency Edi Widodo announced on Wednesday that the city's oldest red-light district, Kramat Tunggak in North Jakarta, would be closed on Dec. 8, the day before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan begins.

Sutiyoso said the prostitutes in the complexes would be included in an education and training program, similar to the one which prostitutes in the Kramat Tunggak brothel complex have undergone.

The governor said the closure of the brothel complexes was made in compliance with complaints from city residents.

Besides Kramat Tunggak, other brothel complexes which are still busy receiving guests are the Kalijodo complex in West Jakarta and the Boker brothel complex in East Jakarta. (jun)