Member of Commission XI of the DPR from the Golkar Faction, Galih Kartasasmita, denied ever proposing that the government open casinos as a source of non-tax state revenue (PNBP).
Penjelasan ini menanggapi kabar yang menyebut dirinya mengusulkan kasino saat rapat dengar pendapat bersama Ditjen Anggaran Kementerian Keuangan di Gedung DPR RI, Kamis (8/5/2025).
“It is certain that if you watch the video, my language will be twisted. I never had a proposal, there was no such thing as a proposal that I wanted Indonesia to open a casino, there was none,” he said when contacted by Kompas.com, Wednesday (5/14/2025).
Galih said he only asked the government to think more creatively in finding new sources of PNBP. This request was made because dividends from state-owned enterprises (BUMN) no longer enter the state treasury. The funds were transferred to the Danantara Investment Management Agency (BPI) to be managed.
“I ask that the ministries and the government be creative outside their comfort zones,” said Galih. Galih gave an example of the extreme steps of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The country dared to open a casino when income from natural resources (SDA) and due to the oil crisis.
When there was an oil crisis a few years ago, they immediately saw this and changed their income style from natural resources to services. Well, that’s my request. The extreme is that they even made a casino. What are the creative or out of the box things that the government can do? That’s my language, if you watch the video, right? So don’t twist it, that’s my language,” Galih said.
He suggested that Indonesia seek sources of income from the tourism and sports sectors. One of them is through the padel sport that is starting to develop in Bali. “For example, in the sports branch that I am in charge of, for example, like padel, I really want to work together with the Ministry of Tourism to be able to boost padel tourism which has indeed been running partially in Bali. Europeans come to try playing padel because of the beauty of Bali,” he said.
“Well, if this can be imitated in Manado, it can be imitated everywhere, it will open up new tourism and other things like that. Our surfing can be promoted, this is one example,” he continued.