Batam tourism agency head declared suspect in gambling case<\/p>\n
Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau<\/p>\n
Head of Batam tourism agency Buralimar has been declared a
\nsuspect by Riau Police over allegations regarding the
\nlegalization of gambling at Tering Bay Resort, Nongsa district,
\nBatam.<\/p>\n
Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. Deddy S. Komaruddin said on
\nWednesday that Buralimar had been declared a suspect based on the
\npolice investigation, including testimony from Batam Mayor Nyat
\nKadir, summoned on May 14 as a witness.<\/p>\n
\"We named Buralimar as a suspect based on our examination of
\nthe memorandum of agreement and the testimony from the mayor,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The mayor issued bylaw No. 17\/2001 on an exclusive integrated
\ntourism resort, in which the mayor, through the mayoralty tourism
\nagency, signed an agreement with PT Dewa Menara Wisata. The
\nagreement stated that the company had the right to manage
\ngambling, including roulette, baccarat, blackjack and poker at
\nTering Bay Resort.<\/p>\n
Buralimar said he would be ready, should he be detained in the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
\"I'm ready, even if I have to go to jail, but I'll disclose
\nwho's responsible for the signing of the agreement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Independent Anticorruption Body (Bakin), through the
\nBambang Wijoyanto and Sonhadji law firm, reported the mayor to
\nBatam Police for giving a three-year license to the company to
\nmanage gambling activities at the resort.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Nyat Kadir told The Jakarta Post by phone that the
\nbylaw has been withdrawn to limit the mushrooming of gambling
\ndens in Batam.<\/p>\n
\"I just want to minimize gambling in Batam. I don't want Batam
\nto become notorious as an immoral city. We are ready to revise
\nthe bylaw and have also withdrawn the agreement. I'm letting the
\nRiau Police chief continue with the investigation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Following strong protest from local non-governmental
\norganizations and religious leaders, the mayor ordered the
\nclosure of at least 46 casinos in Batam.<\/p>\n
The local administration, as well as the central government,
\nhas strict laws that ban gambling in whatever form, but at least
\nfive large gambling dens exist on the island, and almost all the
\nhotels in Batam provide special gambling areas for visitors,
\nmostly from Malaysia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno strongly warned the
\nmayoralty that, despite regional autonomy, the central government
\nwould not allow local administrations to issue a license for
\ngambling because it was against the Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Council
\n(MUI) Assyari Abbas called on the police to continue the
\ninvestigation process into gambling on the island.<\/p>\n
\"We warmly welcome the police decision to continue the
\ninvestigation, but demand they disclose who is the mastermind in
\nthe case and take him to court,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bakin chairman Samsul Paloh urged the police not to name a
\nmunicipality official as a scapegoat, simply in order to protect
\nthe Batam mayor.<\/p>\n
\"We demand the Batam mayor be named a suspect because
\nBuralimar is just an executor of the mayor's policy,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/batam-tourism-agency-head-declared-suspect-in-gambling-case-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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