Press and gambling

Press and gambling

From Warta Kota

Most mass media outlets have carried reports on plans to
legalize gambling in the Thousands Islands.

This plan is indeed good as an idea. If gambling was
legalized and localized, the regional administration would have
money coming into its coffers. Some parties, however, are against
the idea, arguing that gambling is against religious teachings.
Some people are against the idea not because of any religious
objections, but rather because they are afraid that when gambling
is legalized their "additional" income will disappear.

Gambling in Jakarta is alluring in terms of the amount of
money involved. Reportedly some 40 gambling dens in the city have
a total turnover of Rp 200 billion .

At this point, allow me to remind the press not to be drawn
into the gambling controversy at the expense of something more
dangerous that the nation is now facing.

Media reports have it that the world's biggest ecstasy
factory, located somewhere in Tangerang, was recently raided by
the police. This raid drew the attention of the United States
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) because the production capacity of
the factory in Cipondoh, Tangerang, was much larger than the
combined capacity of 50 ecstasy factories in the U.S. and Mexico
that the DEA has raided.

Unfortunately, there have been few media reports following up
on this successful raid, as most media seem to be interested only
in carrying reports on gambling.

I'm afraid the plan to legalize gambling has been
intentionally introduced to divert the attention of the mass
media away from the ecstasy factory raid. Hence there have been
almost no follow-up reports on this raid.

BUDI

Jakarta