Muslim Indonesia Considers Building Its First Casino

Muslim Indonesia considers building its first casino on island near wealthy Singapore
AP - 28 minutes ago (09 Nov 2007)

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Politicians want to build Indonesia's first casino on an island near wealthy Singapore _ a potentially lucrative but highly sensitive venture in mostly Muslim Indonesia.

Gambling is prohibited in Islam. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country, with nearly 90 percent of its 235 million people being followers of the Islamic faith.

Other plans to build casinos in Indonesia have faltered due to vocal opposition from Islamic activists. It remains to be seen whether Bintan island's local government will be able to push the plan through.

"We are aware of the controversy," Bintan district's deputy chief Mastur Taher said Friday.
He estimated that the casino could raise the island's annual income tenfold to US$132 million (?90 million).

He said that only foreign tourists and non-Muslims would be allowed into the casino, which is envisaged to be part of a 2,000 hectare (4,942-acre) tourist development.

Bintan is already popular with tourists, most of whom make the hourlong ferry ride from Singapore.

Local lawmaker Timbul Sianturi said Bintan's government has submitted a draft bylaw to the district's legislature that would legalize gambling at the resort, bypassing national regulations that ban the activity in the country.

It was not clear when lawmakers would debate the issue.

Neighboring Malaysia, which is also mostly Muslim, allows casino gambling in a resort area that attracted 18.5 million people last year. The Genting Highlands also has a theme park and five hotels, and Malaysian Muslims are not allowed to enter its casinos.

民丹岛可能建赌场

将由印尼和新加坡合作建立经济特区之一的廖岛省民丹岛，当地县政府正计划在岛上兴建一个综合度假特区，其中设立专接待外国游客的赌场。

　　民丹综合度假特区特别委员会主委佐科·扎卡利雅对媒体表示，设立赌场的方案仍由县议会讨论中，赞成和反对者正展开辩论。

　　稍早前，代表回教政党公正福利党的多名县议员声称，极力反对开设赌场的计划，因为违反回教教义和现行刑事法。其他主要政党如戈尔卡党和斗争派民主党，以及回教背景的建设统一党、民族复兴党和国民公义党仍未表态。

　　也是民丹县议会副议长的扎卡利雅表示，县政府计划建立的综合度假特区，将建在岛上末端拉果（Lagoi）旅游地带，该地带土地面积计2万7000公顷，其中10%已由新加坡投资商开发为旅游区。
　　他说，命名为民丹综合度假特区工程的新旅游区，将在该地带2000公顷土地上建立，其中将设立类似马来西亚云顶的国际赌场，县议会已成立一个特别委员会，讨论县政府提出的这项建设方案。

　　他进一步说明，当地政府将以利润分享方式与国内外投资者合作兴建这项综合度假特区，至今已有中国、新加坡和马来西亚的10个投资者表示，有意在特区内投资建设酒店和赌馆。

　　据扎卡利雅指出，民丹县政府是以增加地方收入为理由，要求特准建立只供外国游客的赌场，计划一旦实现，每年可为地方政府增加税收8000亿盾（约1亿4000万新元），目前该县财政预算只有4800亿盾。此外，综合度假特区可望为1万3000人提供就业机会。

　　印尼当局曾于上世纪60年代末至70年代中一度特准在雅加达开设赌场，庞大税收为地方建设作出不小贡献，但因回教派反对而关闭，此后，包括博彩业在内长期被禁止。