Efforts quetly continue to pursue casino plan despite public objection
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Although the city administration announced on Monday that it would not pursue the idea of localizing gambling on Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) due to strong objections from certain groups of people and organizations, efforts to realize the plan continue.
"I have monitored reactions, especially from ulema who reject the idea. So, forget it," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso told reporters on Monday.
However, Sutiyoso continued to speak of the idea of localizing gambling in the context of the mushrooming illegal gambling centers here which he asserted could not be controlled and would be impossible to eradicate.
He challenged the police and the military, which also rejected the idea, to be consistent and to take stern action against illegal gambling here.
"If the security authorities reject the gambling plan, then they have to be consistent. They should also reject illegal gambling operations in the city," the governor said at City Hall.
A recent survey made by an institute of the University of Indonesia revealed that there were at least 13 casinos operating illegally in the city and certain security officers were reaping huge profits from them.
It said that a casino paid at least Rp 150 million (US$15,000) per night to certain police and military officers as protection money.
The survey concluded that the localization of gambling on Thousand Islands would be rejected by the security authorities that have profited from the illegal business, and certain hard- liner groups that have special connections with certain police and military officers.
The current temporary closure of the illegal gambling centers here is believed to be due to press reports that the security authorities benefit from the existence of the centers.
Several Muslim groups, including the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), have rejected the idea of localizing gambling. Vice President Hamzah Haz who is also chairman of the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) has repeatedly rejected the idea.
Dozens of youths, calling themselves the Thousand Islands People and Youth Alliance, staged a protest in front of City Hall, rejecting the gambling localization plan.
"Why gambling? Why doesn't the administration improve tourism," group spokesman Syaiful Adam said.
Earlier, hundreds of people, both those in favor of the plan and those who reject it, staged rallies in front of Sutiyoso's office.
Although Sutiyoso stated that he had given up the plan, the administration quietly continued to explore the plan by holding a closed workshop on gambling.
A reliable source said the workshop, which was scheduled to be held on May 4 at a five-star hotel here, would feature former Governor Ali Sadikin, an executive of Genting Highlands gambling center in Malaysia, a researcher from the University of Indonesia, Rizal Hikmat, the rector of Syarief Hidayatullah State Academy of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Aszumardi Azra and historian Onghokham.
Ali is known as the only governor who had permitted gambling centers, which during his tenure had contributed significantly to city revenue in the 1970s.
The Genting Highland's executive is to speak on managing a gambling center while Rizal would reveal his institute's recent survey on gambling here.
The moderate Aszumardi is hoped to give a theological view on the planned casinos on Thousand Islands. He earlier stated that the plan was the best among the worst choices to handle the mushrooming of gambling here.
Professor Ong is expected to give a cultural and historical perspective on gambling, mainly related to Chinese culture.
Kepulauan Seribu Regent K. Abdul Kadir earlier said that the casinos, if they were allowed to operate on the islands, would target Chinese Indonesians, who currently played overseas, and foreigners, but Indonesian Muslims would be banned from entering the casinos.