Heaptalk, Jakarta — The proposal to provide social assistance for Indonesians ensnared by online gambling has caused quite a stir. The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, has clarified the intention behind the proposal.
Muhadjir explained that there is a common misconception about the victims and perpetrators of online gambling. The victims proposed to receive social assistance are the families of the online gambling perpetrators who have suffered losses. “I emphasize the victims of online gambling are not the perpetrators. Who are the victims? The victims are the family members or close individuals of the gamblers who suffer materially, financially, or psychologically, and they are the ones we intend to support,” said Muhadjir.
Many parties, including President Joko Widodo, disagreed with the proposal despite this clarification. Jokowi emphasized that there would be no social assistance for online gambling victims. He stated, “There is none.”
Hidayat Nur Wahid, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly and Member of Commission VIII House of Representatives, which deals with social affairs, strongly criticized the Minister’s proposal. Even with the clarification, the proposal seemed empathetic towards online gambling activities, which could lead to increased poverty. Moreover, the criteria for government social assistance programs do not include victims of online gambling as eligible recipients under the Ministry of Social Affairs.
In addition, Hidayat reminded the government to maintain a unified stance and spirit in the efforts of the Task Force for Eradicating Online Gambling, especially after President Jokowi declared that Indonesia is in an online gambling emergency. Therefore, no government official should propose ideas contradicting the task force’s mission. The proposal for social assistance could easily be interpreted as showing sympathy towards online gambling perpetrators by promising assistance to their families if they fall into poverty due to online gambling.
“The government should firmly and decisively eradicate online gambling through strict law enforcement, socializing regulations, and other effective measures, including involving families as the front line in preventing online gambling. This is especially critical since the Minister of Communication and Information declared a few months ago that Indonesia is in an online gambling emergency, with the number and value of transactions continuously increasing to more than Rp600 trillion. The proposal by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture for social assistance appears permissive towards the crime of online gambling and does not help the spirit of eradicating online gambling, potentially leading to the misuse of social assistance funds,” Hidayat concluded.
