Jakarta restricts nightspots during Ramadan

Places such as discotheques, massage parlours and saunas have been ordered to shut from one day before Ramadan until one day after Eid al-Fitr, a festival marking the end of the holy month, said Catur Laswanto, head of the city's tourism agency. Eid al-Fitr is from June 25 to 26.

Exceptions are to be made for establishments located in hotels and specially-designated entertainment centres, he said. "The rules are in place so that Muslims can observe the holy month solemnly," he said.

Similar rules also are in place in other cities in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country. In the past, the Muslim vigilante group Islamic Defenders' Front sometimes raided nightspots that remained open during Ramadan, accusing those places of harbouring prostitutes and drug addicts. But such raids have been rare in recent years after the government cracked down on violators of Ramadan hours and the sale of alcohol. Mahdi Ba'bud, a local head of the Islamic Defenders' Front in Jakarta, said his group would not conduct any raids this Ramadan. "The police will take action," he said. "We are just watching."

is/at (dpa)