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)