Tangerang, Banten.  The Tangerang City administration, on the outskirts of Jakarta, is planning to revise two long-standing local bylaws that strictly ban prostitution and the sale of alcoholic beverages, reopening a sensitive debate over morality, zoning and local revenue in one of Indonesia’s most populous urban areas.

The proposed revisions involve Regional Regulation No. 7/2005 on the prohibition of alcohol distribution and sales, and Regional Regulation No. 8/2005 on the ban on prostitution. Both are slated for review in 2026 after officials concluded that the rules are no longer fully relevant to current social and technological realities.

“These two bylaws are indeed planned for revision this year. One of the most critical issues under discussion is zoning,” Rusdi Alam, speaker of the Tangerang City Council (DPRD), told reporters on Thursday.

Under the proposed changes, the city could introduce designated zones where certain entertainment activities — including the controlled sale of alcohol — would be permitted. Rusdi stressed that any such zones would be strictly limited and would not be allowed in densely populated residential areas.

“Alcohol must not circulate in neighborhoods or residential communities. That principle is non-negotiable,” he said.

Zoning or localization of entertainment areas has been floated before. Several years ago, the Pinangsia area in the Pinang district was proposed as a designated zone, but the plan was abandoned after strong opposition from residents and religious leaders.

The issue resurfaced in 2025, and city officials are now considering public consultations, including focus group discussions, as part of the revision process.

“One proposal is to hold public forums to gauge community response,” Rusdi said.

A key motivation behind the revisions is economic. Local officials believe Tangerang is losing potential locally generated revenue, particularly from the entertainment sector, as residents often travel to neighboring Tangerang Regency — notably the Gading Serpong area — for nightlife and leisure activities.

Still, Rusdi cautioned that any zoning policy must be carefully designed to avoid unintended social consequences.

“We don’t want a situation where we fail to generate revenue but instead create new social problems,” he said, adding that Tangerang currently lacks a clearly established entertainment district.

Beyond zoning, the revisions aim to address technological changes that have rendered parts of the existing bylaws outdated.  “The existing bylaws don’t regulate online alcohol sales, and prostitution today is mostly arranged through online transactions rather than on the streets,” Rusdi said.

The proposed amendments are among 16 local regulations scheduled for discussion under Tangerang’s 2026 legislative agenda. Rusdi added that several other older bylaws, including one regulating pedicabs, are also being reviewed for relevance.

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