Moslem protest against 'togel'

Moslem protest against 'togel'

JAKARTA (JP): Some 50 activists from the Islamic Society Forum
(FMI) staged a protest in front of the City Council building in
Central Jakarta on Friday, calling for the council to play an
active role in combating gambling in the city.

"Gambling has become a social problem. And the authorities
have been too lenient to put an end to such an illegal game," the
group coordinator, identified only as Firman, said.

He blamed the media for helping to promote the development of
gambling.

"We can see printed gambling codes and results in the mass
media everyday," he said, displaying a copy of the Sinar Pagi
daily, which advertises the results of toto gambling every day.

Gambling is illegal here, and togel (toto gelap) or judi
buntut is a highly popular game here. Gamblers place bets on two
or four numbers, which are announced every two to three days by
game operators.

Offering huge cash prizes for winners, togel has captured the
hopes of many less fortunate people who have been seriously
affected by the economic crisis.

Separately, Sinar Pagi deputy managing editor Cardinal Barry
Sihotang told The Jakarta Post by phone that his paper considered
the advertisement to be a promotion.

"It's merely an advertisement. We do not know if it is
considered to be gambling," Barry said.

Five representatives of the protesters were allowed to deliver
their petition to members of Commission A for administrative
affairs.

"We'll reprimand the daily and other mass media for routinely
publishing the gambling results," Azwar Abbas, a commission
member of the United Development Party (PPP), told the
representatives. (11/edt)