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 on Thursday for his alleged involvement in online gambling.

National Police spokesperson Brig. General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said the investigation was ongoing but declined to give further details about the arrest.

“An employee of the Ministry of Communications is still being examined to deepen the investigation. Police investigators are still working, so we are waiting for the results from the investigators,” Trunoyudo said, as quoted by kompas.com.

Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said her ministry has been coordinating with law enforcement in investigating employees allegedly involved in online gambling and has instructed other staff members to cooperate if investigations are needed additional.

“Law enforcement will be carried out firmly and without favoritism against anyone involved, especially if he is an official within our ministry,” Meutya said in his official statement, quoted by Antara.

“We will be firm and serious about all crime, especially online gambling, to protect people so they are safe in the digital space. It is our commitment as directed by the president.”

President Prabowo Subianto recently affirmed his commitment to eradicate online gambling, saying it is not aligned with the nation’s values.

He called on law enforcement officials to help tackle the problem, which he described as a “serious threat” to the nation, along with smuggling, fraud and corruption.

He added that these severe threats could only be mitigated through strict law enforcement, good intelligence and solid evidence.

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

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

In June, then-politics, law and security minister Hadi Tjanjanto said 2.7 million Indonesians were gambling online.

About 2 percent of the players, or 80,000, were children under 10, he added.

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