Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Some 400 night spots in Jakarta will be asked to stop operating one day before the start of the Islamic fasting month until two days after the post-fasting holiday.

"The entertainment centers that will close include night clubs, discotheques, saunas, message parlors and bars," the head of the city`s tourism service, Arie Budiman, said here on Tuesday.

The number is only around eight percent of the total entertainment centers in the city reaching 1,129 and therefore Arie believed the decision would not disrupt those needing them.

The closure is in line with Regulation Number 10 of 2004 on tourism and the governor`s decision Number 98 of 2004 regarding time for tourism industrial activities in the city.

Not all entertainment centers are closed as karaoke and live music centers are still allowed to open although the schedule of their activities are limited from 8pm to 2am.

Billiard activity held in the same room of a club, discotheque, sauna or a message parlor has to be closed. "Entertainment activities at star-rated hotels are allowed to remain operating because Jakarta is the main tourism destination. In addition to that entertainment activities at star-rated hotels meet international standards," he said.

Arie said Satpol PP (city`s law enforcement agency) would monitor the implementation of the decisions in cooperation with the police.

Entertainment centers that defy the rules would be given sanctions from a reprimend to revocation of their license, he said.

In 2009 a total of 11 violations had been made by operators and three of them received a reprimand while eight other entertainment centers were sealed consisting of message parlors, karaoke centers and bars.

"If they violate again this year their license will be revoked. Besides revocation the operators may face a three-month jail or a fine of Rp5 million," Arie said.

The general chairman of the Association of Recreation and Entertainment Operators, Adrian Mailite, said his members were ready to implement the decisions."Indeed there will be significant reduction in revenue of up to 60 percent but we have to adhere to the existing regulations," he said. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli

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