1 Reason It's Hard to Eradicate Prostitution in Indonesia

Strangely, today I saw this picture on instagram showing the outside of a massage parlour in Alam Sutra called Lunatic. As I wrote on Jakarta100bars, sexual services are available there, including blowjobs and nude massage. Handjobs are part of the standard procedure while for additional services, the price must be negotiated directly with the girls. The management warns though that they do not provide condoms and that it is forbidden to engage in sexual intercourse.

The management of Lunatic massage advertises sexual services on public forums

I was surprised to see that several high-ranking policeman sent flower boxes to congratulate the owner and wish him success for the grand opening. When I say they spent money, I reckon it is government money as it seems the flowers were sent from the police offices.

You can see in particular the names of 3 high-ranking police officers with the ranks of "Jenderal", the 3rd and 4rth highest ranks in the Indonesian police.

It is quite common to see the Indonesian police linked with massage parlours. In Bali for instance, I once saw a sign from the police (Polda Bali) that had obviously been paid for by Delta Spa:
It is quite strange to have a private massage parlour sponsoring the activities of the police. Don't they have a budget for printing road safety messages?

I also noticed once that Illigals was congratulating the police for their birthday (see photo below). This is quite incredible to see considering Illigals is one of the famous places in Jakarta to buy illegal drugs (hence their name). It is also a high-class bordello where prostitution is thriving.

It looks like the relationship between them and the police is good in spite of that. No wonder Illigals is considered a "safe" place where "razzias" (police raids) are rare..

The Indonesian government has vowed to eradicate drugs and prostitution from Indonesia within a few years. If it wants to succeed, maybe it should make sure there are no conflicts of interests between the police and the owners of the spas/nightclubs?