Governor told to stop rampant gambling or quit

JAKARTA (JP): Four party factions at the City Council urged Governor Sutiyoso on Monday to immediately stop the proliferation of toto gelap (togel) gambling in the city and halt rampant drug abuse -- or give up his job.

"If the governor cannot handle the gambling and drug trafficking in the city, he should resign," councilor Posman Siahaan of the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) said.

Seconding the statement were Tb. Abas Soleh Makmun from the National Awakening Party (PKB), M. Banang from the United Party and Josef Kabullah from the Unity in Diversity Party (PBI).

Posman expressed concern at the mushrooming of the gambling, which he said mostly attracted low-income residents.

"Some children are even taking part in togel gambling."

He also urged newspapers to stop running advertisements announcing the results of the gambling and said the council would soon send formal requests to the publications.

Dozens of gambling operators publicize results of the gambling, which is based on four numbers, in the Sinar Pagi daily almost every day.

Gambling is illegal but togel, popularly known as judi buntut, has become hugely popular this year and attracted millions of Jakartans struggling to make ends meet amid the economic crisis.

Gamblers choose two or four numbers, and the winning numbers are announced every two days to three days by operators.

Posman also urged Sutiyoso to close several buildings belonging to the city administration which were believed to have been used as gambling dens.

But he said the city administration should legalize gambling to provide another source of revenue if it was ineffectual in stopping the activity.

"It's better to localize the gambling. We could derive taxes from the gambling dens," the councilor proposed.

Abas of the Muslim-based PKB said that his party could accept the localization of gambling if the city administration was impotent in halting the activity.

The four councilors also urged Sutiyoso to punish city public order officials if they were found backing the activities. (jun)