|
Indonesians Say No To Plans To Legalize Gambling
By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia Correspondent
JAKARTA, April 16 (IslamOnline) - Hopes to build the first casino in Indonesia received strong opposition from the public and from local Islamic groups, local news agencies reported from Jakarta Tuesday.
The Jakarta administration's plan to localize gambling activities on the Seribu Islands, north of Jakarta.
The condemnation forced Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to revise his ideas of building a casino and legalizing gambling.
Sutiyoso last week expressed his readiness to build the infrastructure needed for casinos in the Seribu Islands, arguing that gambling could not be eradicated completely and, therefore, should be accommodated.
According to Sutiyoso, the regent of the Seribu Islands, K. Abdul Kadir, had informed him that the residents of the Seribu Islands would welcome the presence of casinos in their area.
He also expressed confidence that the City Council would endorse the plan.
"I didn't say that I had approved (the plan). As a governor, I was merely facilitating the recommendation of the City Council," Antara quoted him as saying.
Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Husein Al Munawwar said that he opposed any form of gambling and the planned establishment of casinos in the Seribu Islands.
"Such ideas should be considered thoroughly. Do not be in a hurry," Al Munawwar said.
His official stance against the idea of building a casino to channel and control gambling in the country was welcomed by a large chunk of the public.
People in Jakarta supported the minister who called for strict law enforcement against gambling in Indonesia, arguing that the largest Muslim nation on earth should not have a casino as an excuse to lame law enforcement.
"Law enforcement against gambling has failed to live up to expectations," Al Munawwar had said.
Earlier last Friday, Vice President Hamzah Haz voiced a veiled objection to the move, urging the public to engage in more fruitful causes rather than focusing on mundane projects such as gambling, the Jakarta Post reported on Monday.
"It's not appropriate to focus ourselves on gambling at a time when the country is still struggling to emerge from the current economic crisis," Hamzah said.
"It would be better to use our money for something more productive such as prioritizing the real sector," he added.
The Muhammadiyah Muslim organization altogether rejected the idea, its s secretary-general Din Syamsuddin saying that his organization would not tolerate the Jakarta administration's plan to localize gambling on the Seribu Islands.
"We reject all plans to localize gambling as it is very much against Islam," Din was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.
Over the past week, various elements of society, especially ulamas, Muslim social organizations and Muslim-based political parties, have strongly criticized the Jakarta administration's plan to allow for a few regulated casinos in certain designated islands to the north of Jakarta proper.
Two Muslim-based political parties -- the Justice Party (PK) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB), have openly rejected the idea.
|
