“Online gambling is a social disaster, a disease that damages the cycle of community welfare,” he remarked after visiting patients undergoing rehabilitation for their online gambling addiction at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta, Friday.
Muhaimin Iskandar, nicknamed Gus Imin, emphasized that mitigation, rehabilitation, and reintegration are the keys to community empowerment efforts.
The coordinating minister explained that mitigation efforts focus on bolstering the economic conditions of those affected.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation is conducted through psychosocial consultation services, while reintegration encompasses efforts to strengthen social values.
Currently, over 100 people were treated at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital due to online gambling addiction in 2024.
“These patients have committed criminal acts because they are addicted to gambling. They cannot control themselves, so they need medical intervention through rehabilitation,” he remarked.
The government’s goal of achieving zero extreme poverty encompasses various measures, including efforts to curb citizens’ participation in online gambling.
Thus, he considered that various forms of assistance or community income could be channeled into more productive areas.
Gus Imin emphasized his commitment to suppressing and resolving the issue of online gambling through coordination with related ministries and institutions.
“All stakeholders must be involved. The ministry will try to coordinate with all ministries and institutions to ensure mitigation as well as rehabilitation and reintegration of victims,” he stated.
Related news: Minister seeks prioritization of three digital programs
Related news: Meta, TikTok, X asked to join Indonesia’s war on online gambling
Related news: Police arrest two other suspects in ministerial online gambling case
Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024