BANDUNG, SEATIZENS –Budi Arie Setiadi has responded positively to police arrests of former employees from the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi). These arrests relate to their alleged involvement in online gambling. After attending the National Solidarity Movement Declaration at Indonesia Arena Senayan, Budi stated, “This is a good step; we appreciate the actions taken by law enforcement.”
Since July 17, 2023, Budi has served as the Minister of Communication and Informatics. He has entrusted the police with the legal enforcement efforts concerning his former staff. Following his appointment as Minister of Cooperatives by President Prabowo Subianto on October 21, he expressed his desire to focus on cooperative issues. He emphasized, “We respect the steps taken by law enforcement. I am focused on cooperatives and the people’s welfare.”
Efforts Against Online Gambling
As Minister of Communication and Informatics, Budi has prioritized the fight against online gambling. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) has blocked access to 3.8 million online gambling-related contents since July 17, 2023. In addition, the ministry has blocked 31,751 gambling-related pages on educational institution websites and over 31,812 pages on government sites. Budi stated, “We support the actions taken by law enforcement to eradicate online gambling.”
Recently, the Metro Jaya Police announced the arrests of three new suspects in the online gambling case involving Kemkomdigi employees. With these additions, the total number of suspects has now reached 14. Kombes Wira Tri Satya Putra, the Director of Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya Police, informed reporters, “Today we have arrested a total of 14 suspects.” Among the suspects, 11 work for the Ministry of Communication and Digital, while three are civilians.
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In conclusion, the ongoing investigation shows the authorities’ commitment to tackling illegal online gambling in Indonesia. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of accountability among government officials in upholding the law.
(Firyal Trinidad)
