T

he Jakarta Police are preparing for violations by entertainment businesses and hard-line groups to ensure the Ramadhan month and Idul Fitri celebrations are peaceful.

Jakarta Police's intelligence subdirectorate head Adj. Sr. Comr. Titik Valentina said on Tuesday that the police would monitor entertainment businesses, which had to adjust their operation times, and intolerant groups, which often conducted violent raids of businesses during the fasting month.

'They [the hardliners] may plan raids but if all entertainment centers follow the rules, they won't have a problem,' she said. Mass organizations like the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) and Betawi ethnic-based groups have been known to take the law into their own hands, resulting in violence and vandalism.

The Jakarta Tourism Agency head Arie Budhiman claimed that violent raids of this kind had not occurred since a relevant bylaw was issued in 2004.

Bylaw No. 10/2004 stipulates that five businesses ' night clubs, discotheques, karaoke houses, saunas, massage parlors and bars ' have to close throughout Ramadhan.

Arie said 898 out of 1,799 entertainment businesses in Jakarta must be closed for one month.

Billiard halls, karaoke lounges and live music venues are allowed to open from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Ari said his agency would cooperate with the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) and tourism industry associations to make sure they comply with the bylaw.

It is planned that personnel would be regularly deployed to entertainment areas to ensure they complied with the bylaw.

Arie said the personnel would be dispersed across the city's five municipalities; Menteng, Gunung Sahari and Jl. Gadjah Mada in Central Jakarta; Sunter, Kelapa Gading, Ancol, Jembatan Tiga and Pluit in North Jakarta; Kemang, Falatehan, Melawai and Fatmawati in South Jakarta; Hayam Wuruk, Mangga Besar, Pangeran Jayakarta, Daan Mogot, Angke and Jembatan Dua in West Jakarta; and Pramuka, Kramat Jati and Cakung in East Jakarta.

If an establishment was found to be violating the bylaw, the Jakarta Tourism Agency would implement sanctions ranging from a verbal warning, written warning, sealing the businesses and permit revoke.

The chairman of the Jakarta Entertainment Establishment Owners Association, Adrian Mailite, said his members would respect the Muslim holy month.

'It has been years since the bylaw was implemented so we are used to it,' he said, adding that he often received threats from certain mass organization but was not afraid.