Gambing eradicated in capital? Don't bet on it
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
From the stream of people entering the house of a togel (illegal lottery) ticket seller in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, on Monday afternoon, it would seem the police drive to eradicate gambling has ended as something less than a success.
"We have been back in business for several days now ... Everybody seems thirsty to bet," the owner of the house told The Jakarta Post while taking care of customers in the living room.
The home owner said the "big boss" had promised the police would not bother him as long as he paid his "security fees".
"A police officer used to come here to collect the money. Now we meet at an outside location so we do not raise suspicion," he said.
There are thought to be hundreds of togel agents just in this general area, all back in business after the police launched an operation in July promising to eradicate gambling in the capital.
A regular togel player, Ian, 39, laughed when asked if it was difficult to buy togel tickets since the police began their operation.
"In the first two or three months all of the agents closed up their operations, so I had to stop betting. Now we have lots of choices. Like usual, the police were only serious in the beginning," he told the Post.
He claimed it was the police who told the togel sellers when it was safe to begin operating again.
"Ramadhan and Idul Fitri are approaching and they need money, you know," he said.
On July 11, shortly after taking over the position, National Police chief Gen. Sutanto announced a one-week deadline for provincial police chiefs to eradicate gambling in their respective areas, warning that failure would result in dismissal or criminal charges.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani immediately ordered his top officers, precinct and subprecinct chiefs to put an end to all gambling in the capital within three days or face dismissal.
Hundreds of suspected gamblers and gambling operators were quickly rounded up from around the capital.
According to data from the city police, 1,206 people were detained on gambling charges from the time the operation was launched to Sept. 14, while hundreds of gambling machines were confiscated and destroyed.
Firman announced that all gambling dens in the capital had been closed down, though after the announcement officers arrested the owner of a gambling den on Jl. Hayam Wuruk in West Jakarta and seized 70 gambling machines.
Despite these developments, most residents doubted the police would really do away with gambling. It is a commonly held belief among the public that high-ranking police officers are bankrolled by the gambling kingpins, while lower-ranking officers receive pocket money from those lower down the gambling food chain, like togel ticket sellers.
These doubts are reinforced by the fact that the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office has yet to receive a case file from the police on any of the gambling suspects, and that no police officer has been punished for not eradicating gambling in his or her respective area.