Police arrest ministry employee for involvement in online gambling – Society – The Jakarta Post

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

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

Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid said her ministry had been coordinating with law enforcement regarding the investigation of employees allegedly involved in online gambling and had instructed other staff members to be cooperative if further investigation was needed.

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

“We will be firm and serious on the issue of all criminal offenses, especially online gambling to protect the people so [they can] be safe in the digital space. It is our commitment according to the President’s direction.”

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

He asked law enforcement officials to help solve 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 be mitigated only through strict law enforcement, good intelligence and strong evidence.

Presidential Communications Office head Hasan Nasbi said the President would prepare steps to eradicate online gambling.

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

In June, then-coordinating political, legal and security minister Hadi Tjanjanto said 2.7 million Indonesians were gambling online.

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