Tangerang in clutches of prostitution

Tangerang in clutches of prostitution

TANGERANG: An urban watchdog and ulemas on Thursday called for serious action to be taken against prostitution, which is widespread in several districts between the town and South Jakarta and West Jakarta.

"The beverage and food stalls in Pondok Ranji, Tegal Rotan and Pondok Kacang in Ciputat district, also Pondok Aren and Pamulang districts, are used for disguised prostitution, but the administration does nothing to stop this," said Amin Syarbini, chairman of the Tangerang branch of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI).

Muslim preacher, ustad Komarudin of Sawah Lama village, Ciputat, said the residents had tried hard not to take the law into their own hands.

Suhaimai Ismedi, the director of Tangerang Shelter, said the administration had yet to take any action although the health agency had found one AIDS case in Dadap village.

"The regency is surrounded by red-light districts. We have found new ones in Dadap village, and on the banks of the Kali Perancis river and Sungai Tahang river in Kosambi district, which borders with West Jakarta," he said. --JP