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)