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community leader at the Payosigadung red-light district in Jambi city, Amir, said the forthcoming closure of the area'€™s brothels would see hundreds slipping into poverty.

'€œWhat will become of them if their source of money is stopped. Please seek a solution instead of closing Payosigadung. Don'€™t make this political,'€ said Amir on Friday.

Besides Payosigadung, the Jambi municipality also plans to close Langit Biru red-light district in what seems to be a similar strategy to the Surabaya administration, which closed its Dolly red-light district on Wednesday.

As many as 577 sex workers and pimps rely on prostitution as their main source of income in Jambi.

The closure has been rejected by the majority of residents living in the area.

Amir expressed regret over the Jambi administration'€™s plan to single out the area.

'€œWhy does the administration wish to only close Payosigadung, whereas there are many other areas. So, we firmly oppose the planned closure,'€ said Amir.

He also expressed hope the administration would seek a solution other than closure.

According to Amir, the area is not only home to sex workers but also people who had lived there for a long time.

Regarding Amir comments, Jambi Mayor Sy Fasha said the plan would not be stopped.

Fasha said his administration'€™s task was easier than that of the Surabaya administration because the number of sex workers and pimps in Payosigadung and Langit Biru were far less than in Dolly.

'€œIt will be easier as Dolly had thousands of sex workers,'€ Fasha said.

He emphasized that the permanent closure would be achieved by October at the latest.

According to Fasha, his administration had coordinated with the Surabaya administration last week regarding the closure, especially regarding the issue of the possible exodus of Dolly'€™s former sex workers to the city.

Like in Surabaya, added Fasha, sex workers and pimps in Dolly will be given three options upon closure, first compensation; second alternative job opportunities; and third return to their respective hometowns with compensation.

Fasha said his administration had carried out a campaign to disseminate information on the closure, such as through the media, Social Services and Manpower Agency and female religious teachers.

Separately, Jambi Council speaker Hamid Jufri said the council had enacted the bylaw on prostitution and vice in December 2013 and a campaign had been carried out in January 2014.

He said the brothels must be closed within six months after the campaign period.

'€œSix months should be enough. If the mayor is firm, closing both areas by October is achievable,'€ said Hamid.

According to him, the sex workers and pimps should already be provided with counseling and training from June to October, in line with procedures.

Besides Jambi, other regions, such as Batam, Gorontalo and Semarang have expressed plans to cope with the possible exodus of sex workers from Dolly.

But none, except Jambi, planned to close their red-light districts.