VOC Announces House Judicials In Batavia Numbering 14 In History Today, December 28, 1728

China's ethnic daily life in Batavia was the first time. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 294 years ago, December 28, 1728, the Dutch trading airline, VOC revealed that Batavia City was already surrounded by gambling houses. The Company announced that gambling houses in Batavia reached 14, six inside the city and eight outside the city walls.

The Company considers the presence of gambling houses to be more than sufficient. The Company does not want to add more. Previously, gambling practice was fully supported by the Company. Big gambling tax is the main reason for support.

Large-scale migration of ethnic Chinese has a big role in the development of Batavia City. The Governor-General of the VOC, Jan Pieterszoon Coen is behind it. The VOC ruler even said the presence of the Chinese could determine the glory of the colony.

He then gave privileges to the Chinese who wanted to live in Batavia. Access to work is opened as wide as possible for the Chinese. Instead, Coen asked the Chinese to build Batavia. The rest, the Chinese are the object of the VOC tax.

The symbiotics of mutualism took place harmoniously. The Company gets its tax money. Chinese people have their fun. In order to control gambling, Coen appointed Souw Bengkong (Bencon) as China's Kapitan.

Bencon is tasked with collecting taxes in gambling houses. The Chineseffine was assisted by his secretary Jan Con. Even the gambling house in Batavia has never had a problem paying taxes. Moreover, the number of enthusiasts is increasing day by day.

Because he employs a lot of loggers and also coolies who work on building projects in Batavia, it's not strange if, together with Bencon Kapiten China, Jan Con is appointed to collect gambling taxes that have been in place since 1620. Therefore, in this city, Chinese people are big gamblers, then Jan Con is also quite familiar with them.

Thus he is sure, the winner will pay 20 percent of the tax for his victory to him and Bencon. Thus, it is good that the task is carried out by the two community leaders, so that Coen does not hesitate to order that Jan Con be prioritized compared to others in the upcoming gambling levy auction," said historian Leonard Blusse in the book Persekuuan Aneh: Pemukim Cina, Wanita Peranikan, and Dutch in Batavia VOC (1988).

Recently, gambling houses have mushroomed in Batavia. Even though Coen and Bencon are no longer at the helm. The Governor General of Coen's successor still allows gambling houses to stand. While other Chinese Kapitan are still busy collecting gambling taxes. They don't want big income from gambling practices to just disappear.

That permit then made Batavia surrounded by gambling houses. In fact, gambling houses are considered more than hospitals. The VOC also tactics. The owner of power will not add more gambling houses in the near future. The announcement was made by the VOC on December 28, 1728.

The VOC admits that gambling income increases when there is a Chinese jukung who stops by anchored in Batavia. Even so, the number of gambling houses in 14 (six of them in the city and eight outside the city walls) is considered sufficient, "explained historian Mona Lohanda in the book History of the Developers Regulating Batavia (2007).