Band of protesters demands casinos for Jakarta, not islands

Band of protesters demands casinos for Jakarta, not islands

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Around 250 fierce-looking protesters from Metro Watch, an
organization allegedly backed by certain powerful underworld
gambling businessmen, besieged Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's
residence at midday on Saturday to protest his call to build
casinos in the Seribu Islands.

However, a staff member at Sutiyoso's residence on Jl. Untung
Suropati said the governor was not at home. Metro Watch left
after only 20 minutes but pledged to boost its numbers for a
protest at the City Administration Office in Central Jakarta on
Monday.

The protesters demanded that any casino should be built in
Jakarta instead of in the Seribu Island chain to the north of the
capital.

The field coordinator of the protest, Noval, said that
Sutiyoso's proposal to establish casinos in the Seribu Islands
would be problematic as it could not be policed effectively.

"The most appropriate place is here in Jakarta, as the
administration and the police could easily monitor the place.
Seribu Islands is quite far away which could result in a lack of
monitoring and control by the authorities," he said.

The protesters also demanded that the administration provide
funds to prevent the negative impact of gambling on society, but
not to eradicate the business.

After the protest, one of the coordinators, who requested
anonymity, admitted that Metro Watch was supported financially by
a certain group of casino businessmen who were not accommodated
in the plans for the Seribu Islands. He would not identify them.

"I think they were mad about the plan, as the (illegal
gambling) business in Jakarta is being threatened by the
administration. By localizing the casinos in the Seribu Islands
all the scattered gambling centers in Jakarta would be
eradicated.

"The administration has already chosen one well-known gambling
businessman for the Seribu Islands who happens to be a close
friend of the governor."

Again he refused to name names.

Prior to arriving at Sutiyoso's residence, the protesters
marched toward the police station near the Hotel Indonesia
traffic circle in Central Jakarta to distribute leaflets.

City administration spokesman Muhayat dismissed suggestions
that the administration had made up its mind about the project.

"I could not comment further on the favor of the
administration toward certain gambling patrons, as the plan is
still far from concluded," he said.

Governor Sutiyoso signaled on Thursday that the city
administration was ready to build infrastructure for casinos in
the islands.

The previous day Thousand Islands' Regent Abdul Kadir revealed
that an investor had officially submitted a written proposal to
his office, while others had only expressed their plans to him
verbally.