Ali Sadikin Builds Jakarta Using Gambling Tax

JAKARTA - It is not an easy matter to make Jakarta a metropolitan city. Ali Sadikin proved it during his tenure as Governor of DKI Jakarta (1966-1977). Dilapidated Jakarta with a limited budget is the problem. The wild idea of legalizing gambling emerged. The solution worked. Jakarta also beautifies itself. Ali not only received praise, but was also opposed by the clergy. Ali doesn't care. All for the sake of advancing Jakarta.

At the beginning of his position, Ali Sadikin found that Jakarta was in a dilapidated state. In fact, Jakarta should be a representation of Indonesia. Or as Bung Karno said, Jakarta is the beacon of the nation's struggle. But Ali Sadikin found the opposite situation.

Jakarta is full of problems. 60 percent of Jakarta's population or about 3 million people live in slums. Worse still, 60 percent of school-age children in Jakarta do not attend school. Meanwhile, the 24,700 government employees are on average low-paid.

This condition caught Ali Sadikin's attention. Because DKI Jakarta's budget is only Rp. 66 million, which was later increased to Rp. 266 million. That budget is not enough to make big breakthroughs. Moreover, as a form of effort to juxtapose Jakarta as the capital city of other countries in the world.

Even so, Ali Sadikin did not give up. Ali then got a wild idea related to legalizing gambling to increase the budget to beautify Jakarta. "The authority to organize gambling has actually existed since the Dutch colonial era, there are already provisions. Based on the provisions of the existing legislation, the authority to regulate gambling is in the hands of regional officials."

"With this authority, the DKI Jakarta government takes policy steps both preventive and repressive towards gambling. In an effort to localize the implementation of gambling, the DKI Jakarta government utilizes gambling tax proceeds as a source of regional finance," said Ali Sadikin in his book Gita Jaya (1977). ).

The regulatory loophole referred to by Ali Sadikin is a set of regulations since the Dutch era that are still in effect in the DKI Jakarta Government. The Head of Bureau II of the Public Relations and Protocol Office of the DKI Jakarta Regional Government, Wardiman Djojonegoro, was the first person to present the regulation to Ali Sadikin.

These regulations include Statsblad of 1912 Number 230 and Statsblad of 1935 Number 526 which allow local governments to collect taxes from gambling. Because it's legal and possible, Ali Sadikin happens to be an unmanageable figure. Gambling is trying to be legalized.

As a result, Ali Sadikin moved quickly by issuing a Decree (SK) prohibiting illegal gambling on July 26, 1967 in the DKI Jakarta area. Two months later, Ali Sadikin inaugurated the first casino in the Petak Sembilan area, West Jakarta.

“Bang Ali got an idea. Hold (gambling) lotto/hwa-hwe to send neglected children to school. Increase various taxes, such as the Tax on Transfer of Names for Motor Vehicles. Collect gambling taxes after legalizing gambling places, especially for the Chinese," said Rosihan Anwar in the book "Petite Histoire" Indonesia's Little History Volume 3 (2009).

“With the funds obtained, promote the reforestation movement in Jakarta. Also hold a separate location for prostitutes or WTS (Women of Prostitutes) in Kramat Tunggak. Because of all that, Bang Ali was labeled as the 'Governor of Sin' and Madame Nani Ali Sadikin was called Madame Hwa-Hwe. However, Bang Ali continued to move forward undaunted, devoted to the homeland and nation," he added.

Ali Sadikin's achievement in legalizing gambling not only brought praise for his figure. However, it has also received criticism from scholars. Like it or not, Ali Sadikin got the stamp of the Governor of Immorality. One of the scholars who strongly opposed Ali Sadikin's policies was Abdullah Syafi'ie of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). According to him, the DKI Jakarta government has consciously committed acts that are contrary to Islamic teachings.

“Abdullah Syafi'ie and MUI see that this policy is very contrary to religious teachings. The act of gambling itself in Islam is a sinful act, therefore the results obtained through gambling are automatically forbidden to be eaten and consumed," wrote Hasbi Indra in the book Pesantren Education and Social-Social Development (2018).

Even so, Ali Sadikin consciously admits that gambling is haram. Any religion says so. Therefore, gambling is regulated by Ali only for certain circles (Chinese people). Which, a certain group of people often makes their way of life unable to live without gambling. Instead they go to Macau and spend money gambling. It's good, the money is for development in Jakarta only, through gambling taxes of course.

Ali Sadikin also forbade other residents, other than the Chinese, to gamble. But no action. Ali Sadikin joked that at any time there were Muslims who gambled. So clearly it is no longer the fault of the Governor of DKI Jakarta. The only one to blame is that person's dilapidated Islam. Also, Ali Sadikin did not care when many ulama opposed his policies. Ali Sadikin was only joking if all opposing religious scholars were asked to buy helicopters instead. You see, all streets in Jakarta come from immoral money.

“I want to be realistic and not hypocritical. When I was governor of DKI Jakarta (1966-1977), I legalized gambling because the local government did not have sufficient budget. Even though at that time it took a lot of money to build schools, health centers, and roads. All the ulama's made a fuss, but I told them, if gambling is forbidden, they must have a helicopter. You see, I woke up from gambling money. So, roads in Jakarta are also forbidden,” said Ali Sadikin as quoted by Setiyardi in his article in Tempo Magazine entitled For the sake of Gambling, I Am Willing to Enter Hell (2005).

Ali Sadikin was even willing to go to hell for legalizing gambling. Residents of Jakarta are well served and have a variety of adequate supporting facilities. Even all that because the gambling tax has many benefits. Armed with a gambling tax, Ali Sadikin can beautify Jakarta, build the dream of a metropolitan city. Various other facilities were also built from gambling tax money, including the Ancol Dreamland, National Monument (Monas), Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta Fair, Senen Project and running the Mohammad Husni Thamrin Village Improvement Project (MTH).

“What should be remembered correctly is that I put the gambling proceeds into the APBD, in a special revenue group. And DPRD members can control where the gambling proceeds go. The gambling proceeds were used for the benefit of the people of Jakarta. Everyone enjoys it, because the taxes from there are used to finance developments in the field of facilities, and various fields, even in the field of mental and spiritual development. And not for routine financing.”

"With this money, the DKI government can build elementary school buildings which at that time were very lacking, repair and maintenance of roads, construction and maintenance of urban facilities, cultural facilities and others," said Ali Sadikin, written by Ramadhan KH in Bang Ali's book. : For the sake of Jakarta 1966-1977 (1992).

*Read other information about JAKARTA HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Detha Arya Tifada.