City councilors criticize governor's idea on gambling
City councilors criticize governor's idea on gambling
JAKARTA (JP): City councilors lambasted on Wednesday the idea
proposed last week by Governor Sutiyoso to localize gambling dens
in the capital.
According to the councilors, either the governor does not know
that gambling in Indonesia is illegal or he was just replying too
quickly to questions raised by journalists on New Year's Eve.
"The governor should have known better," commented councilor
Fatommy Asaari, who heads the council's Golkar faction.
"Law No. 7/1974 on gambling states that gambling is illegal
and punishable by law."
"Only if the law is changed can localizing gambling dens be
considered," he added.
In response to questions by the media about the seemingly
untouchable gambling dens operating in the capital, the governor
said that his administration was considering "isolating gambling
dens" like had been done by Malaysia in the Genting Highlands.
"We are still exploring the possibility of such a move. First
we must find a location which would be acceptable to the people,"
Sutiyoso said without elaborating.
According to the governor, the city's public order officials
were finding it "very difficult" to close down gambling dens.
"After being closed for a week or two, the gambling dens
usually begin business as usual," he said.
Worse still, gambling is taking place on the city's streets,
he added.
City Council Speaker Edy Waluyo also said on New Year's Eve
that city councilors had recently met with several Muslim and
non-Muslim leaders to discuss the matter.
"The council has even suggested that the city administration
send a few selected preachers to Malaysia after the Idul Fitri
holiday to discuss with their Malaysian counterparts, among other
things, the issue of gambling," Edy said.
However, councilor Achmad Suaidy, who heads the United
Development Party (PPP) faction in the council, and PPP member
Afiff Hamka strongly opposed the plan.
"If the city administration carries out this plan (of
localizing gambling), I suggest that gambling be restricted to
foreigners only. Gambling is not our culture, it is the
foreigners'," Suaidy said.
Afiff added that he had not heard about Edy's proposal to send
preachers to Malaysia for discussions, but he said that
"Indonesians have a religious culture and for Muslim preachers to
even discuss this matter is ludicrous." (ylt)