Indonesian Police Arrest Ministry Employee for Alleged Online Gambling

The central executive agency part of the Indonesian Police Force, the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Badan Reserse Kriminal or Bareskrim), placed an employee of the Communications and Digital Ministry under arrest on Thursday. 

The decision was made amid allegations regarding his involvement in online gambling. 

Ongoing Investigation

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko commented that the investigation was ongoing, without disclosing further details regarding the recent arrest.

“An employee of the communications ministry is still being examined to deepen the investigation,” Andiko said, adding they were still waiting for police investigators to complete their work and provide them with the results, according to kompas.com. 

Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid explained that her ministry had been openly working together with law authorities regarding the investigation of employees who were allegedly involved in remote gambling. 

Hafid, who was appointed to rule the recently renamed Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry (formerly the Communications and Informatics Ministry) last month, further added staff members were instructed to show the same degree of transparency and openness to cooperation if additional investigation is deemed necessary. 

Antara quoted Hafid’s statement in which she reiterated that the enforcement of the law “will be carried out firmly and without favoritism against anyone involved” with special emphasis on the suspect being an official within the ministry. 

“It Is Our Commitment” 

The minister responsible for enhancing digital security, fighting online gambling, and protecting Indonesians from illegal lending practices went on to say they will be “firm and serious on the issue of all criminal offenses” to keep people safe in the digital space. 

“It is our commitment according to the President’s direction,” the pioneering woman to lead the ministry said. 

President Prabowo Subianto recently expressed his full commitment to putting an end to online gambling, arguing it was not aligned with Indonesia’s values. 

In this regard, he required law enforcement officials to be strict, use strong evidence, and prove their intelligence when taking care of the “serious threat” of illegal gambling which he placed on the same list as corruption, smuggling, and fraud. 

According to presidential communications office head Hasan Nasbi, Subianto is working on a series of measures to protect the 2.7 million Indonesians who gamble online, with roughly 2% (80,000) represented by children under the age of 10, according to data released in June.

Last month, the country announced it managed to block 3.8 million online gambling websites in the last 14 months.