Bandung municipality will permanently close down the oldest red-light district in the city to make way for a proposed Islamic centre, putting more than 1,000 people out of work in the process.
I am in two minds as to whether this is a good or bad thing. Knowing where the red light area is and being able to survey the activities is a lot safer than driving the industry underground. It would also reduce trafficking and underage workers, probably a better contribution to public morality than closing the place down!
Bandung Public Order Office head Priana Fuckwit said more than 1,000 public order and police officers, (read Thugs) assisted by hundreds of members of the Islam Defenders Front and Bandung Immoral Watch, would spread out across the Saritem red-light district.
"We will round up pimps and sex workers and order building owners who rent out their houses for prostitution to stop," said one city official tucking his shirt back into his trousers. “Best 50,000 Rupiah I have spent since last week” he further added.
He also said authorities would work with the Islam Defenders Front (Thugs) and Bandung Immoral Watch (also Thugs) to seal off and secure the area and detain pimps and sex workers. It is also assumed that the police would also demand that the offenders be re-educated before being released.
Authorities are completing their inventory (I can just see it, spread sheets containing details of dildo’s and strap on’s) of brothels in the district that will be shuttered as the closure of the red-light district was based on a 2005 governor's decree on public order which prohibits prostitution.
"They (brothels) should have been closed down the moment the bylaw came into effect on Nov. 1, 2006. But we gave the pimps, sex workers and local residents more time to prepare themselves and seek other sources of income," he said. Needless to say, it appears that no one could be arsed looking for alternative employment. One Kupu Kupu Malam (literally Night Butterfly) actually said that business was very good. “If I had another set of legs I would open up in Jakarta”
Bandung municipal secretary Edi Fuckwit said his office was prepared to offer those affected by the closure training in new business skills. (The mind boggles)
The municipality is still listing the workers in Saritem, which has been around since Dutch colonial days. So far, authorities have listed 1,089 workers who will be affected by the closure, including 428 brokers, 96 stall owners and 205 pimps. (Do the maths, that means only 360 actual purveyors of the flesh)
The proposal to turn Saritem into an Islamic center was made by several political parties and Muslim organizations. The Prosperous Justice Party faction in the municipal council made a similar suggestion. Its secretary, Tedy Fuckwit, said the presence of an Islamic centre could create more business opportunities.
"Not only will the area's image be repaired, the local economy will also thrive due to the large number of people visiting the area, thus creating job opportunities, such as parking attendants (wasters), stall owners (vagabonds) and other service providers (presumably undercover pimps)," said Tedy.
In addition, Tedy did mention, with a touch of melancholic afterthought “It seems a pity that my Friday afternoon post sholat nosh days are over”
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