Gambling dens flourishing

Gambling dens flourishing

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council says gambling den operators are
belittling the government's efforts to wipe out gambling.

Vice speaker of the City Council, Ismunandar, said that
the flourishing gambling dens in the Mangga Besar business
district, Central Jakarta, are evidence of the operators'
attitude.

"Don't let the business district become a fertile place for
crime, drug trafficking and prostitution," he was quoted by
Antara as saying yesterday.

Ismunandar, of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, made
his remarks after an impromptu visit to some of the illegal
gambling dens. Many of the operations in Mangga Dua and Lokasari
reportedly have daily turnovers of hundreds of millions of
rupiah.

The vice speaker spent more than three hours visiting the
area, known as the heart of the city's nightlife.

"If the existing laws are inadequate to prosecute the gamblers
and the operators a prompt review is needed," he said.

He said he supported the city military's plan to wage war on
all kinds of gambling. "The military plan needs following up and
deserves serious consideration."

If the authorities believed that gambling was increasing,
integrated steps involving the military, the police, the
prosecutor's office, the courts, the tourism office and the
public order office should be taken soon, he said.

Ismunandar said he was afraid that certain people would take
advantage of the existence of the illicit gambling dens.
"Officials could be tempted to take bribe money from the gambling
den operators if prompt steps are not taken by the government,"
he said. (sur)