City administration shuts 16 gambling dens

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has in the past two days closed 16 amusement centers, which had allegedly been used as gambling dens, Governor Sutiyoso said on Thursday.

"The 16 amusement centers were closed because they have violated the operational permits, issued by the city administration.

"Instead, they ran gambling businesses in their buildings," Sutiyoso told reporters at City Hall.

Of the 16 sealed amusement centers, four were in North Jakarta, nine in West Jakarta and three in Central Jakarta.

Sutiyoso said the city administration had never issued permits to the owners of the buildings to run gambling businesses. "The city administration granted permits to the owners of the buildings to operate amusement centers."

He said the city administration was thinking of moving the amusement centers to the Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands) resort off North Jakarta.

The governor dismissed speculations that the gambling dens- turned amusement centers belonged to the city administration.

"All were operated by private businesspeople," he said.

Earlier, city councillors intonated that the amusement centers belonged to the city administration.

Councillor Posman Siahaan of the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) said on Monday that several buildings, including five in North Jakarta which belonged to the city administration, had been used as gambling dens.

Posman urged the governor to quit if he could not handle the mushrooming gambling activities, including togel (popularly known as judi buntut) gambling, in the city.

The governor called on city residents to actively participate in helping the city administration's war against gambling.

"We invite Jakarta residents to tell the city's security and order officials if they know of any gambling dens or gambling activities in their neighborhood," Sutiyoso said.

The governor made an impromptu visit to the amusement centers on Wednesday night to make sure that the buildings had been sealed off.

He also dismissed earlier reports that the Omni Batavia Hotel in West Jakarta had also been used as a gambling den.

The hotel and several other hotels, including the Prince Park Hotel, also in West Jakarta, reportedly had provided their rooms as gambling dens. The hotels' executives have denied the accusations.

Sutiyoso said he had also ordered public order officers in the city's five mayoralties to handle togel gambling, which has become a favorite among the lower class, in their respective areas.

The 16 closed amusement centers are Kelapa Gading, UFO, Pluit Plaza and Lucky Plaza in North Jakarta, and Pelangi, Gandy, Caesar 3, Kunir, Asemka1 and Asemka2, Pujasera, Fight and Kabuki in West Jakarta.

The sealed amusement centers in Central Jakarta are MD amusement center, Mangga Dua Club and Sarinah amusement center. (jun)