Jakarta. Chief Cultural Affairs Minister Muhadjir Effendy has clarified his statement regarding the provision of social assistance (bansos) to online gambling victims.
Muhadjir emphasized that the recipients of the social assistance will be the family members of the victims, not the perpetrators.
“It needs to be understood clearly and not taken out of context. Perpetrators will definitely be dealt with legally as it is a criminal offense. What I meant by recipients of social assistance are the family members such as children, wives, or husbands,” he said after performing the Eid al-Adha prayer in Menteng, Jakarta, on Monday.
.Muhadjir added that this idea is one of the proposals put forward by the Ministry in preparation for the establishment of the Task Force for the Eradication of Online Gambling.
As the deputy head of the task force, Muhadjir will assist the Chief Security Minister Hadi Tjahjanto, who serves as the head of the ad hoc team.
Muhadjir stressed that this social assistance is essential to help the families affected by online gambling behavior. According to him, families do not only suffer material losses but also serious mental health impacts, which in some cases can lead to death.
“This situation imposes a responsibility on the government, especially for us at the Cultural Affairs Ministry . We will discuss the mechanism for providing social assistance to families affected by online gambling with the Minister of Social Affairs,” he added.
Recently, President Joko Widodo strongly condemned online gambling, urging the public to avoid both offline and online gambling activities.
“Do not gamble, whether offline or online. It’s better to save money or invest it in business,” advised Joko Widodo.
He highlighted the harmful effects of gambling, including financial losses, family conflicts, and increased crime and violence.
“Gambling jeopardizes not just finances but also one’s future, family, and children,” stressed the President.
The government is committed to eliminating online gambling, with over 2.1 million sites already shut down. Plans are in place to establish a task force to accelerate this effort.
His remarks came after a tragic incident in Mojokerto, where a policewoman allegedly set fire to her husband, a police officer, upon discovering he had wasted his annual bonus on online gambling.
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