Police arrest a ministry employee for involvement in online gambling – Society

The National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) arrested an employee of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs on Thursday for his alleged involvement in online gambling.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said an investigation was ongoing but declined to provide further details about the arrest.

“The employee of the Ministry of Communications is still being questioned to deepen the investigation. Police investigators are still working, so we are waiting for their results,” Trunoyudo said, as quoted by compass.com.

Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said her ministry was coordinating with law enforcement agencies in connection with the investigation into employees allegedly involved in online gambling and instructed other employees to cooperate if further investigation was necessary.

“Law enforcement will be carried out firmly and without favoring anyone involved, especially if it is an official of our ministry,” Meutya said in her official statement, as quoted by Antara.

“We will be tough and serious on all crimes, especially online gambling, to protect people so they can be safe in the digital space. This is our commitment in line with the President’s order.”

President Prabowo Subianto recently reaffirmed his commitment to eradicating online gambling, saying it is not in line with national values.

He asked law enforcement officials for help in solving the problem, which he described as a “serious threat” to the nation, including smuggling, fraud and corruption.

He added that these serious threats can only be mitigated through rigorous law enforcement, good intelligence and strong evidence.

The head of the Office of Presidential Communications, Hasan Nasbi, said that the president will prepare steps to eradicate online gambling.

“There will be steps. We’ll see, though, I don’t know the details yet. There will be steps for this. There will be steps,” he said, quoted by compass.com.

In June, then-Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Hadi Tjanjanto said that 2.7 million Indonesians gamble online.

He added that about 2 percent of players, or 80,000, are children under the age of 10.

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