Housewives support anti-gambling campaign<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
Housewives in Medan have warmly welcomed the nationwide movement
\nagainst gambling. Interviewed separately, the housewives said
\nthat gambling had made their husbands gambling addicts and their
\nhabit had adversely affected the households.<\/p>\n
Suhartini, 34, a housewife living in the Durian area here,
\nrevealed that since her husband became deeply involved in
\ngambling three years ago, she found out that her household
\nkicthen budget was often cut. In a day, she used to receive Rp
\n20,000 (US$2), but since her husband regularly placed bets on
\nillegal numbers racket (togel), she now only received Rp 15,000.<\/p>\n
"I strongly agree that all gambling dens be closed down
\nforever," she told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She said that her husband, a minibus driver, was an avid
\ngambler. Everyday, after returning home from work, her husband
\nwould study the togel forecasts that he got from dream books,
\nsuch as Joyoboyo Fortune-Telling book. Joyoboyo is a famous
\nJavanese fortune teller. Living in 17th century, he predicted
\nthat Japan would attack and rule Java island, and the prediction
\nlater materialized.<\/p>\n
Another housewife, Reihna Sembiring, expressed similar
\ncomplaints. Not only was her kitchen budget cut after her husband
\nbecame involved in gambling, but her husband, who started playing
\ntogel a year ago, also often treated her roughly if his bet
\nfailed. "If his bet fails, he behaves badly. Whatever I do, it
\nwill be wrong," said Reihna, a resident in Pasar II, Padang Bulan
\narea in Medan.<\/p>\n
According to Reihna, her husband, who is a civil servant,
\noften would go to a coffee shop near their home to discuss the
\ntogel numbers with other avid gamblers. But, she said she was
\nrelieved that her husband stopped gambling a week ago. "He
\nstopped betting as the togel bookies closed up shop after the
\nMedan police decided to crack down on gambling," she explained.<\/p>\n
Many gambling centers in Medan were closed down over the past
\nweek, ever since the chief of the National Police, Gen. Sutanto,
\ndeclared a nationwide war on gambling. Similarly, many lottery
\nagents had also ceased operations, including Karsiman, 37.
\nKarsiman had to stop selling togel tickets because he now fears
\nhe could be arrested.<\/p>\n
"I stopped selling tickets three days ago," said Karsiman, who
\nhas been a bookie for two years.<\/p>",
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