Gambing eradicated in capital? Don't bet on it
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.