Tangerang mayor urged to close nightspots

Tangerang mayor urged to close nightspots

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): Local figures and ulemas have urged
Tangerang Mayor Djakaria Machmud to keep his promise and close
down nightspots found to be used as Ecstasy dealing sites.

Eddy Sulaeman, a popular religious figure in Tangerang, said
yesterday the arrest of two alleged Ecstasy dealers in the FM3
Singing Hall on Saturday strongly indicates that nightspots are
used to traffic drugs.

The two people were found in possession of 75 Ecstasy pills in
the disco which is located on Jl. MH Thamrin.

"The mayor has promised to have all nightspots used as Ecstasy
business places closed. We want the mayor to keep his word," Eddy
said.

He also said the religious community wants the mayor to stop
issuing operation permits for new nightspots.

He said the Moslem community rejects anything that supports
the distribution of drugs and prostitution. He said he therefore
deplored the statement made by Deddy Mulyono, speaker of the
Tangerang Legislative Council. Deddy said most Tangerang people
were unsophisticated in that they did not want to see nightlife
develop in Tangerang.

He acknowledged that the administration needs to earn its
monthly revenue, which comes mostly from nightspots. "But aren't
there other ways to get revenue?" he quipped.

Some months ago, Eddy led a street demonstration to demand the
closure of public establishments, which the demonstrators alleged
practiced prostitution.

The ulemas and public figures also reminded the authorities
of the recent raid on a disco which screened pornographic films.

Two of the disco's managers were arrested during the raid
around Tanjung Pasir beach in the subdistrict of Mauk, Tangerang
regency. (28/sur)