Crackdown on gambling called for

TANGERANG (JP): About 500 ulemas grouped in the Defenders of Islam Front (FPI) have urged Tangerang Police to crack down on an upsurge in gambling.

The group also threatened to mobilize members of the public and stage mass actions if police failed to eradicate gambling and drug transactions, which they said were "ruining the people's mentality".

"We are ready to deploy 15,000 jihad forces to eliminate gambling and drug activities here," said one of the senior FPI members.

He added that the local ulemas doubted that the local police would be able to handle the problem due to the involvement of personnel with "vested interests".

The ulemas met with Tangerang Police chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto, several officials from the local administration and the Tangerang chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) at the Almahmud Foundation office on Sunday.

Ulemas said gambling was rife in villages and kampongs here.

"Pedicab drivers, motorbike taxi drivers, housewives and students have become addicted to gambling," the group said.

Pudji said that efforts to stop gambling presented a dilemma, he said.

"The demand (from residents) is very high. That's why there are lots of gambling operators here. The law of economics says there is an equal point between demand and supply.

Tangerang Police detectives, in the presence of several ulemas, conducted raids on Saturday night of two suspected gambling dens and a discotheque. They seized pakong coupons and several million rupiah in cash, and also questioned a number of people. (41/edt)