Kuala Lumpur, November 24 (IslamOnline) - Security in several countries in South East Asia (SEA) is tightening ahead of the Eid el Fitri festivals that start at the end of the holy month of Ramadhan in December. Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei have already stepped up routine patrols with more police forces on the streets than usual.

In Jakarta, the police are currently carrying out unusual raids in night spots and streets where foreigners would gather in a bid to deter night clubs, bars and other alcohol vendors to carry out their business during the month of Ramadhan.

A gubernatorial decree last month orders most entertainment spots to close their business during the Muslim fasting month. Violators of the decree may lose their business licenses, sources said.

The Jakarta administration issued the decree after being pressured by several hard-line Muslim groups. It was also advised by the two largest Muslim organizations in the country, the Muhammadiyah and the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to force the closure of such establishments in order to prevent any scuffle during the Ramadhan.

Local Police altogether said they did not want trouble during this month and carried regular checks in night spots where alcohol was being sold.

On Friday, a group of hard line Muslims manifested at a busy road that attracts foreigners. Jalan Jaksa sells alcohol freely, while sex and other entertainment deemed illegal by consevative Muslims are available too.

Nightclubs, discotheques, bars, saunas, massage parlors, arcades and health spas are also under constant check by Police and local enforcement officers, IslamOnline was told.

Other businesses, such as cafes, are allowed to operate from 8.30 pm to 12.30 am and are required to "adjust" their services to accommodate restrictions of the Muslim holy month. These mean no alcohol, though not all the establishments follow the rule.

In Kuala Lumpur, more police officers in dark blue uniforms are seen in Malls and shopping complexes since the beginning of Ramadhan, tightening security and making sure no elements are left unchecked.

The Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) has also seen a larger number of men and women in uniform, carrying their “Walkie talkies” and guns in the midst of the crowd.

The KLCC harbors the largest and most modern shopping facilities and offices in the country. Its half billion U.S. dollars worth infrastructure is bound to be under tighter security for the Eid festivals certainly after the recent U.S. warnings that Malaysia may be attacked by “terrorists”.

There are no restrictions in Malaysia on the operating hours of bars, casinos and night clubs as well as restaurants in the major cities. Night life in Malaysia goes as usual in many places since a fair section of the population is non-Muslim.

Though there have been fewer raids by enforcement officers in Kuala Lumpur, the city seem safe and business as usual.

In Bukit Bintang, the most popular tourist spot in the city, entertainment centers are opened sometimes until the wee hours of the morning in this holy month.

Neither threats nor attempts to disrupt the normal were noticed in Kuala Lumpur, the police maintaining strict order while the Muslims are busy with their Taraweeh prayers.

In Brunei however, security is as usual thought more police officers and raids are underway regularly in a bid to clear the country of “illegals” who violates the immigration act.

Police has decided to flush Indonesians as well as Malaysians out of Brunei in order to ensure security amidst tension in the region that terror attacks may occur anywhere at anytime.

Shopping complexes and major roads in the tiny Brunei, a sultanate ruled and owned by King Hassanal Bolkiah considered to be one of the richest man on earth, are also tightly guarded by normal police forces.

Brunei has also started an anti-terror training center for its own citizens of the weaker sex in order to help the country face the challenges of terrorism.

In Kelantan’s capital city, the Party Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) government has allowed the local police to double their night shifts while the national police sent teams to the state bordering Thailand.

Malaysia has offered assistance to Thailand in the latter’s attempt to catch suspected Thai separatists and terrorists who may have fled the Siamese country into Malaysia.

Thailand police said several separatists who have allegedly carried bomb attacks or robberies in southern Thailand resulting in the death of civilians and police officers altogether may have taken refuge in Malaysia.

With the arrest of Imam Samudra in Indonesia and his confession that he is the mastermind of the Bali bombing that has killed 190 people on October 12, 2002, the regions is growing more suspicious of what they call Muslim “fundamentalists”, IslamOnline was told by observers in Kuala Lumpur.

In Jakarta however, a section of the population are grumbling against the regime of Megawati Sukarnoputri for the closure of night clubs and other entertainment centers during this holy month.

Locals in Jaksa Road in Central Jakarta, many of those who are reliant on the presence of foreigners for their income, are concerned the raids by police and militants will cause a further decline in business on the street.

They argued that business has suffered enormously from a fall in tourist numbers since the Bali bombings.

The Laksamana news website said some people in the region said business was much better during the reign of former President Suharto, whom they say allowed the opening of bars and discos during Ramadhan.

During the time of Suharto, the military was in control of the Police and had arrangements with local gangsters to protect the bars against any attacks.

The folks in that district are now asking for the return of Suharto adding that the situation was better under him and that Megawati was not helping them at all.