Parties disagree on gambling

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Political parties' city chapters offered mixed reactions on Wednesday to a recommendation from the University of Indonesia that the city administration should set up a gambling center here.

All Islamic-based parties, the United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK) rejected the proposal to set up the center.

But the Unity and Justice Party (PKP), which only has one seat in the city council, supported the recommendation, while the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) adopted a "wait and see" approach.

PPP's city chapter chairman Djafar Badjeber said that his party would reject any proposal to legalize gambling centers in the city.

"It's an evil project. PPP's city chapter would reject the proposal," Djafar, who is also the council's deputy chairman, told reporters.

Besides violating God's law, he said gambling was still forbidden according to the current laws and regulations here.

Djafar, who is serving a second term as councillor, denied that the council once recommended to the administration that it allow gambling.

"As far as I know there was no such recommendation in the past," he said.

Governor Sutiyoso welcomed the recommendation of the university's Structural Development Study Center on Tuesday, hinting that the gambling center might be set up in the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu).

The council's chairman, Edy Waluyo, said the council once recommended the administration legalize gambling here, following a trip by councillors and Muslim clerics to Malaysia's gambling center in the Genting highlands and Cairo, Egypt in 1997.

An article in the criminal code states that gambling is not allowed without a permit. But a 1987 presidential decree banned gambling activities all over the country.

PBB's city chapter chairman Syarifien Maloko urged the administration to close casinos, which reportedly operated in many areas here, and punish the owners.

Separately, PKP's city chapter chairman Posman Siahaan supported the university's recommendation on the gambling center since he believed gambling could not be eradicated.

"Gambling, like adultery, has been known since the creation of human beings. It could not be eradicated," he said.

He suggested that Sutiyoso ask the central government to review the 1987 presidential decree.

As for the illegal casinos and other gaming centers which could be easily found in the city, they should be closed to avoid negative impacts in society, he said.

PDI Perjuangan councillor Maringan Pangaribuan said the party would study the university's recommendation before considering approving gambling here.

"We will look at the recommendation first. Later we will announce our stance," he said.