Gambling remains rife in West Java<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon<\/p>\n
It was business as usual for gambling outlets in the northern
\ncoastal areas of West Java province, despite a recent
\nantigambling campaign declared by the chief of the National
\nPolice, Gen. Sutanto.<\/p>\n
As can be seen, the coupons of a local lottery, popularly
\nknown as togel, were still being widely circulating on Saturday
\nin dozens of places in Majalengka, Cirebon, Indramayu and
\nKuningan regencies here. The coupon trading took place in
\nterminals and markets, and even in housing complexes near public
\nschools in the countryside. Togel agents sold freely togel
\ncoupons of various brands to the public.<\/p>\n
Togel has become a popular form of gambling in Cirebon, and
\nother places nationwide, as the rule of the game are simple and
\nthe coupon is cheap. As the coupon is cheap, it is attractive for
\npeople from the low income bracket, moreover that the game offers
\ngood returns.<\/p>\n
To play togel, one can buy a coupon that costs Rp 500 (0.052
\nUS cents). Then, the customer can pick two, three or four numbers
\nwritten on the coupon.<\/p>\n
The numbers are matched with the numbers announced by the
\ngambling operators twice a week, usually in the middle of the
\nweek and over the weekend. If the customer bets correctly on the
\nlast two numbers, he will get 10 times the coupon price, three
\nnumbers will entitle him to 100 times the togel price and four
\nnumbers will gain him 1,000 times the price.<\/p>\n
Besides togel, arcade games are also popular in the northern
\ncoastal areas. While togel is conducted openly, the arcade games
\nare played covertly.<\/p>\n
The rampant gambling has concerned religious leaders in the
\narea, who say that the gambling activities are backed by security
\npersonnel. "The gambling can be operated openly because some
\ncorrupt security personnel are backing the gambling operators,"
\nsaid Syarief Muhammad, the head of the Indonesian Council of
\nUlema's Cirebon branch.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the instruction by Gen. Sutanto that all
\nprovincial police chiefs had to wipe out gambling dens nationwide
\nstarting on Monday last week, Syarief said that the instruction
\nshould not become mere rhetoric.<\/p>\n
"The National Police have to be serious about combating
\ngambling as the gambling has not only ruined people economically,
\nbut it has also destroyed the moral fabric of society," said
\nSyarief.<\/p>\n
Separately, a senior police officer in Cirebon denied that
\ngambling outlets were still rampant in the regency.<\/p>\n
"The Cirebon Police have intensified their crackdown against
\ngambling since a week ago and have rounded up 17 togel bosses.
\nSome togel sellers are still operating, but the number is far
\nfewer than before and they will be wiped out immediately," said
\ndeputy chief of Cirebon Regental Police, Comr. Agus Nugroho.<\/p>",
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