Legalized Gambling & Casinos
Jul 12th, 2010, in News, by Patung
Legalised gambling in Indonesia a boon to state revenue or creator of social misery.
Parliamentarian from Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP) Eva Kusuma Sundari recently called for the legalisation of gambling in Indonesia, as a means of boosting state finances through its taxation.
I see it like this, legalised gambling would be a boon to state finances. So why not just legalise it?
Aware that legalised gambling is fiercely opposed by religious authorities such as the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) she said okezone
Our country is not a religious state, it’s a democracy where every person’s viewpoint should be heard by the government.
Of the MUI she said the clerical organisation had no right to enforce its rules on non-Muslim Indonesians, and that in general its pronouncements had only the weight of recommendations. okezone
In response Amidhan, the chairman of the MUI, said that what was haram could never be legalised by the state, and that the use of the oft-quoted example of Malaysia – where gambling is allowed for non-Muslims – was wrong headed, because Muslims in that country were only barely a majority, at 55%, and so the Malaysian government obviously had to accommodate such a large non-Muslim population.
In Indonesia however Muslims made up 90% of the population, he said, and the government making distinctions between Muslim and non-Muslim Indonesians would have a generally bad effect.
Musical aside: Dangdut singer A. Rafiq warning of the dangers of gambling in “Pantun Berjudi”
Besides, he went on, gambling was a terrible thing
Gamblers can’t stop. If they run out of money they borrow. If they can’t borrow they mortgage their house, in the end they steal, and murder.
Gambling would be like smoking, he said, tax revenue would be considerable, but the overall costs of gambling, like those for smoking, would massively outweigh state revenues from them. okezone
That’s why smoking is haram. Same for gambling.
22 Comments on “Legalized Gambling & Casinos”
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made says:
“what was haram could never be legalized by the state” so babi guling is not legal,smoking is not legal,poligami ok,marriage with under aged spouse it’s ok.got it!
seriously i think we shouldn’t legalized gambling yet, not because it’s haram but because people can’t afford it yet.we will legalized it when most our people could afford milk. -
Ross says:
MUI ‘the Malaysian government obviously had to accommodate such a large non-Muslim population. In Indonesia however Muslims made up 90% of the population, he said, and the government making distinctions between Muslim and non-Muslim Indonesians would have a generally bad effect.’
Sums it up – making distinctions is bad, so if they can’t do it, or tell their flock they can’t do it, deny everybody a choice in the matter.
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ET says:
Agree with brb and made. To hell with this MUI patronizing an entire nation with their bigoted and narrow minded ideology. If there are objections against gambling they should be based on sociological and economical motives, not on religious indoctrination.
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Ali Iswanto says:
The Casino we prepare just for Tourists and Non Mosleem not for Mosleem. So, no any reason to refuse it. We can set up the policy by asking the ID.
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realest says:
i’ll beg, borrow, even rob to get a piece of the casino gold rush should they let one open here.
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Ric Atencia says:
This is not about religion nor expression of democratic right but a careful deliberation of pros n cons of gambling. Many studies show that disadvantages outweight having casino legalize. The social impacts would be absolutely devastating and result to more crimes! One can’t build a nation by making its citizen become impulsive gamblers n societal liability.
Again, I consider it not a religious overtone, but Indonesians should appreciate MUI’s concern. Letting bad words such as ‘to hell…’ is uncalled for n rejected by the moderator of this site. There must be editing mechanism before any comment is published.
I am a Christian and anything that seems righteous, just concern, good, judicious or fair, irrespective if uttered by people of different faith should be respected, exhorted and supported!
I appreciate the concerns of MUI which appear to me as with social foundation, just concern and even setting aside any moral or religious consideration. The Bible also adhors gambling n covetousness by the way!
Religious leaders are there to guide and remind their flocks. There is nothing wrong with that and in fact we should be thankful for their concerns.
Salam!
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yorijuly14 says:
There a few things we need to be concerned with regarding this problem:
– Gambling (just like smoking, porn, prostitution, etc) is just a seemingly good deed that will bring many greater disasters to the society
– The good belongs to every religion. I believe that every religion basically forbids gambling (I wonder whether she has one)
– MUI are responsible to save muslims from any plaques -
Oigal says:
The good belongs to every religion. I believe that every religion basically forbids gambling (I wonder whether she has one)
Ah yes, the old question the character of the person rather than debate the ideas, indeed the MO for all religions.
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vojo says:
I can see it now, all those pulsa sellers supplementing their sales with lottery tickets! Legalizing such gambling might really boost the economy and state coffers.
Yorijuly, you “believe that every religion basically forbids gambling”; consider the Roman Catholic Church and all their church bingos. In North America, the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic Men’s organization holds regular bingos and even lotteries.
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miyek says:
To hell with this MUI patronizing an entire nation with their bigoted and narrow minded ideology.
well said ET, do agree with you.
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Didn’t Suharto start the MUI so they could give an excuse for Suharto’s State Lottery? I remember reading that somewhere…
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Hans says:
four five pieces of state casino would probably work initially for testing. the question is simply in whose pocket the profits fall´s down. is ther any one who can believe that the state and people can get to share the profits.
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” To hell with this MUI patronizing an entire nation with their bigoted and narrow minded ideology.”
most are behind MUI on this one, so ……
“Didn’t Suharto start the MUI so they could give an excuse for Suharto’s State Lottery? I remember reading that somewhere… ”
hey let’s disband KPK too !! It’s initiated under BJ Habiebie, one of Suharto’s lackeys!! Genius ……
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Religious leaders are there to guide and remind their flocks. There is nothing wrong with that and in fact we should be thankful for their concerns.
We will be thankful for their concerns if they come up with substantial arguments, corroborated by scientifically proven facts instead of ideological fanaticism and scripture. Nobody says gambling is a good and advisable thing. But it is a fact of life in every culture and simply forbid it won’t make it go away. This is why in many societies it has been regulated and confined to specific locations and permits so it can be controlled and its negative aspects mitigated.
This is what the proposed bill should be about. Unfortunately the parliamentarian Eva Kosuma found it necessary to highlight the financial boost for the treasury thereby giving opportunity to criticism as if the state would benefit from people’s weaknesses, which in fact it does – look at the tax revenues made from tobacco and liquor. -
To put it as crudely as possible, I call it public appeasement – the one factor that stops hopeless paupers from pillaging their rich neighbors. What else could any government offer to a nation, with a majority working for low pay under a market system budded with rising costs, except binding them to religious moral absolutism?
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cessch says:
Dont do it. dont legalize gambling. there are so many more useful things people can do with their money. people will fall victim and most likely those less able to with stand the effects of gambling.
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It’s all about saving nation and society from any undisputable disasters gambling will absolutely bring rather than trying to get tax, money, and any other abstract and temporal advantages.
Lets save this nation. Say no to legalizing gambling and casinos.
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BrotherMouzone says:
@yorijuly14
MUI are responsible to save muslims from any plaques
Isn’t that what toothpaste is for?
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Isn’t that what toothpaste is for?
Nice joke brothermouzone 🙂
I am laughing, and almost can’t help my self 😛 -
Dirk says:
Ali Sadikin, (7 July 1927 – 20 May 2008) was the governor of Jakarta from from 1966 to 1977.
He legalized gambling. And the income from gambling paid for the infrastructure of roads, etc, see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Sadikin
And once again I totally agree with ET
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Ashley says:
There are negatives and positives in legalising gambling. The major negative is obviously that it will be easier for some to get into financial difficulty with easy access to gambling.
The positives are that as gambling will take place anyway, this is an opportunity to do it in a regulated manner, where the people of Indonesia can benefit through enforced profit percentage being used to build community projects, like the Hong Kong Jockey Club do. This will also stop the current crime/gambling gangs taking advantage of locals and travellers.
Comment on “Legalized Gambling & Casinos”.
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gambling could help financing the state. however in legalizing gambling, a lot of things must be considered; i think gambling should be localized (at certain locations) and have strict requirements for people to be allowed to join, such as age, wealth, etc. no religious requirement though! enough with this religious discrimination.