Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has strongly rejected a proposal to legalize casinos as a means to boost non-tax state revenue.
The idea was put forward by Galih Kartasasmita, a member of Commission XI from the Golkar Party, during a working meeting with the Ministry of Finance’s Directorate General of Budget on Monday. Galih suggested that Indonesia should follow the example of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is reportedly considering opening casinos to increase national income beyond taxes.
In response, KH Cholil Nafis, Chair of MUI’s Da’wah and Ukhuwah Division, responded firmly via his official social media account on Tuesday emphasizing that legalizing gambling is not only illegal under Indonesian law but also contradicts the nation’s moral and religious values.
“Legalizing gambling must never be an option, regardless of the reason, including for boosting state funds. Indonesia has abundant natural resources that can be better optimized. We must not trade the nation’s values for money,” Cholil stated firmly.
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He also criticized the reasoning behind Galih’s suggestion, emphasizing that Indonesia should not adopt practices from other countries that contradict local norms and laws.
“The fact that other nations allow gambling doesn’t justify us doing the same,” he added.
MUI’s strong stance has sparked widespread public discussion, with many Indonesians expressing support on social media under the hashtag #TolakKasino (Reject Casinos).
Public attention now turns to whether Galih’s proposal will be taken seriously in parliament, or dismissed in the face of growing opposition from religious organizations and civil society.[]
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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