Bina Dana Sosial Foundation wants to provide island casino security
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Although denying that it has any relationship with the military, the Bina Dana Sosial Foundation guaranteed on Thursday the security of casinos in Kepulauan Seribu (the Thousand Islands) if the agency were appointed to run them.
"If we were authorized to coordinate the amusement centers, we guarantee that the security authorities would accept it. We could discuss it with them," foundation chairman Rizaf Thaib said in his office on Jl. Kendal, Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Several military-looking men, who wore dark safari suits, were observed in the office, including the receptionist. A clock carrying the logo of the presidential security guard hung on the office wall.
Several luxury cars, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW sedans, were parked in the front yard of the three-story office building, which is located near the busy Jl. Blora area.
Rizaf's foundation was the first to propose to the regency that it should coordinate the relocation of casinos in Jakarta to the Thousand Islands.
According to the latest survey by the University of Indonesia Institute for Social Institution Studies, the localization of gambling in the islands would be rejected, mainly by military and security officers, who received protection fees from gambling centers now operating illegally in the city.
The institute revealed that a small casino in Kalijodo, West Jakarta, contributed at least Rp 150 million (US$15,000) per night. There are 13 large casinos operating illegally in the city.
Rizaf claimed having experience in managing a "ball mastery game" in the 1990s when he secured the approval from then state minister of sports and youth affairs Hayono Isman.
He said that he imported the gaming machines via PT Indo Argo.
"Amusement centers, which operated the machines, contributed funds for sports development to the minister's office," he said, without mentioning the amounts involved.
He revealed that PT Indo Argo had cooperated, in running the gaming machines, with businessman Arif Cho Chong, one of two big bosses who own casinos here.
But Rizaf denied if he would work in cooperation with Arif or the other boss, Tommy Winata, who is also the owner of Bank Artha Graha.
"But if Arif or Tommy were to come to us, we could discuss the possibility of cooperation in the matter," he said.
Arif was believed to have relations with certain senior police officials, while Tommy, whose bank was partly owned by the Army's foundation, was believed to have a close relationship with military top brass.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's husband Taufik Kiemas met Tommy in the latter's West Pantara island in the North Kepulauan Seribu district last Saturday.
Regent Abdul Kadir, who met the men in his capacity as a government official, claimed that Taufik and his daughter and grandchildren were on vacation, saying that there was no talk of gambling.
Rizaf Thaib said huge funds could be contributed to the city's coffers if hundreds of "amusement centers", with a turnover reaching trillions of rupiah, could legally operate in the islands.
"We are ready to present our proposal to City Governor Sutiyoso and the City Council," he said.
Separately, businessman Mahfud Djailani, who has been nominated as a candidate for city governor, agreed that gambling could be localized, but the regulations that ban gambling should first be revoked.
"If the regulations were reviewed, localization would not be a problem," Mahfud said.
The Criminal Code bans gambling unless it is permitted by the authorities. A presidential decree bans gambling across the country.