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strong>April 20, Online

Amid public shock over reports of prostitution taking place in boarding houses, Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama has argued that prostitution, although '€œsinful'€ and a '€œrejection of society'€, is inevitable.

The issue of prostitutes operating in boarding houses arose after the murder of a sex worker during intercourse with a customer in her rented room in Tebet, South Jakarta. The victim, 25-year-old Deudeuh Avisah Rini, promoted her services through Twitter and received clients in her boarding room.

'€œAlthough prostitution is viewed as taboo, it is inevitable. No matter how you try to eradicate it, it will always exist as long as humans exist,'€ Ahok told reporters in City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday.

He went on to compare prostitution to human feces.

Your comments:

In Sweden prostitutes are allowed to work but people are forbidden to buy their services.

The way Ahok describes prostitution is interesting. He makes a good point: it stinks, but what can we do about it?

The sex industry will always be with us, but how can we control it? Perhaps that question should have been answered before closing down the Dolly red-light district in Surabaya. The death of this prostitute is a result of unregulated prostitution.

Simba

I love the way Ahok illustrates the subject of prostitution. Straightforward and a bit vulgar, but he gets his point across.

He did not approach it from a moral or religious point of view, as many would. He reminds me of Ali Sadikin, the legendary former Jakarta governor.

Robby Kaware

The options are either a total ban or legalization. Both options come with various setbacks and risks to society.

In supposedly religious Indonesia we are neither one but are shamelessly hypocritical.

In order to address public health safety concerns and the dangers of human trafficking, control measures must be formulated and enforced.

On this controversial issue one cannot be idealistic. Pragmatism is called for.

The government must not adopt the approach of approving or disapproving of prostitution, but rather adopt a utilitarian and pragmatic posture and tackle the worse of two sets of predictable negative consequences.

All of the classic human vices '€” gambling, alcohol, prostitution '€” create a criminal underworld with a debilitating effect on society.

A total ban is impractical and no solution at all.

James Waworoendeng

I admire Governor Ahok for being so candid about prostitution. Prostitution is known as the world'€™s
oldest profession, and there are countries that allow such trade to be legalized.

In Singapore, prostitution is legalized in the red-light district of Geylang.

However, in Indonesia, such trade is conducted under the guise of social escorts.

Prostitution per se is even legal in Hong Kong, as long as it is conducted directly by prostitutes in their private residences.

I concur with Governor Ahok that it is a profession that will always exist as long as there are men who patronize such services, and though it can be seen as negative and sleazy, it is in truth a necessity for single men that need to address their sexual desires.

Businessmen even use prostitution to entertain their business clients. I do not respect women in this trade but I do admire their courage in plying this profession, as it must indeed be very undignified and humiliating to offer their sexual services.

Prostitution is a service that will always be in demand in society and one can only hope that is provided in a discreet manner.

IB Saw

This toilet comparison sinks in, sets the right tone for the conservatives to agree with him and is so true in essence.

Kantisini

Ahok didn'€™t use Lee Kuan Yew'€™s example to explain why he legalized the Geylang red-light district in
Singapore.

Lee said in the 1980s: '€œEven pressure cookers need a release valve.'€ As such, he allowed prostitution, confined to Geylang, for people to release their urges.

Malam

Sex workers often have no choice because their parents decide to sell them so that they can have money for anything from a phone to a house.

Anita L.

 
By regulating sex work, you can lower human trafficking, abuse, reduce the spread of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and AIDS, and as evil as it sounds, develop a new revenue tax stream.

There are so many factors involved (i.e. low education, low opinion of women, low opportunities for legitimate work, etc.) that need to be eradicated.

Deddy K.

Making money from anything related to women and sex is one aspect of pragmatism.

Tahu

Prostitution is the world'€™s oldest profession. As long as there is demand there will be supply. It is better to control it, like in Singapore.

Loh Taun