Moslem protest against 'togel'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Some 50 activists from the Islamic Society Forum
\n(FMI) staged a protest in front of the City Council building in
\nCentral Jakarta on Friday, calling for the council to play an
\nactive role in combating gambling in the city.<\/p>\n
\"Gambling has become a social problem. And the authorities
\nhave been too lenient to put an end to such an illegal game,\" the
\ngroup coordinator, identified only as Firman, said.<\/p>\n
He blamed the media for helping to promote the development of
\ngambling.<\/p>\n
\"We can see printed gambling codes and results in the mass
\nmedia everyday,\" he said, displaying a copy of the Sinar Pagi
\ndaily, which advertises the results of toto gambling every day.<\/p>\n
Gambling is illegal here, and togel (toto gelap) or judi
\nbuntut is a highly popular game here. Gamblers place bets on two
\nor four numbers, which are announced every two to three days by
\ngame operators.<\/p>\n
Offering huge cash prizes for winners, togel has captured the
\nhopes of many less fortunate people who have been seriously
\naffected by the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Separately, Sinar Pagi deputy managing editor Cardinal Barry
\nSihotang told The Jakarta Post by phone that his paper considered
\nthe advertisement to be a promotion.<\/p>\n
\"It's merely an advertisement. We do not know if it is
\nconsidered to be gambling,\" Barry said.<\/p>\n
Five representatives of the protesters were allowed to deliver
\ntheir petition to members of Commission A for administrative
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
\"We'll reprimand the daily and other mass media for routinely
\npublishing the gambling results,\" Azwar Abbas, a commission
\nmember of the United Development Party (PPP), told the
\nrepresentatives. (11\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/moslem-protest-against-togel-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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