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)