Regarding Jakarta's Opportunities To Legalize Kasino Gambling Again, Pramono Anung Even Said This

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung responded to the discourse that developed about the possibility of Jakarta legalizing gambling and casinos again to increase state revenue.

This discourse was originally made in the DPR. Member of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Galih Kartasasmita, who proposed that the government add to the object of non-tax state revenue (PNBP). He gave an example of the United Arab Emirates which has legalized casinos.

Gambling practices themselves have actually been legalized in Jakarta during the leadership of former DKI Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin. Ali legalized gambling and casinos to increase regional treasury. Until finally, gambling was again banned by the central government.

When asked about the opportunity for the casino to be legalized again in Jakarta, Pramono did not want to answer. Pramono admitted that the DKI Provincial Government is more focused on improving infrastructure, one of which is flood control.

"Jakarta will be typical of digging. Gali-gali the river which must be excavated today," said Pramono after reviewing the dredging of the Old Cakung River in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, Monday, May 19.

In this regard, Professor of the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia (UI), Hikmahanto Juwana, encouraged the government to review the discourse of legalizing casinos such as in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to him, the proposal can be done by studying policies as implemented in the two Muslim-majority countries in order to increase the country's foreign exchange.

"Indonesia is also a country with a Muslim population, just like the UAE which is currently building a large casino in its country and Malaysia which officially legalized the casino in 1969," he said in Bekasi, Saturday, May 17.

The UI geopolitical and economic expert stated that Indonesia is indeed a Muslim country but with high gambling activities. Whereas when the Ali Sadikin era served as Governor of DKI Jakarta, this activity was finally legalized.

"At that time we also had Porkas, there was SDSB, it was actually also such forms. Now, now we are only localizing and using the funds later, for example from the taxes generated and so on," he said.

"But of course the funds are for purposes that are not touching, let's say things related to religion and so on," he continued.

He also gave an example of one of the activities in the United Arab Emirates that forbid gambling but open a casino by building a special economic zone.

If in the end Indonesia compromises to open a casino in a special economic area, the government is asked to dare to take this policy by remaining focused on eradicating online gambling which is detrimental to the small people.

"So far, what we have heard is very painful and sad. Those who work in online gambling companies are tortured in Cambodia and so on, we have no control. They have been going in and out illegally, plus doing bad things for our citizens. And suddenly if they are tortured we have to help them to spend money. It's not true if it's like that," he said.