JAKARTA: Indonesia’s fight against online gambling is intensifying, with the government arresting social media figures accused of promoting the activity while warning that the problem is pervasive throughout the country’s public sector.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto said on Tuesday (25/6) that people involved in online gambling come from diverse backgrounds, including members of the police and military, as well as civil servants from various ministries and agencies.
“(They are) ministry officials, military personnel, police personnel and others (involved in online gambling). We have submitted the names to the heads of agencies,” Hadi, who also chairs the Task Force on the Eradication of Online Gambling, told Tempo.
Meanwhile, seven social media figures were arrested in Banten and Lampung provinces for allegedly endorsing online gambling sites, while 18 others were arrested in investigations into three online gambling sites: WNX Bet, W88 and Ciputra League.
“We have collected evidence from the suspects including 4.7 billion rupiah ($291,000) in cash, three cars, 114 mobile phones, 96 bankbooks, 145 ATM cards, nine laptops and five (digital) tokens,” Hadi said, adding that authorities have already frozen around 6,000 bank accounts linked to online gambling.
The figure is up from the 5,000 bank accounts that authorities said they had frozen last week.
Hadi stressed on Tuesday that the task force’s top priority is the well-being of the Indonesian people and that they are working united to dismantle online gambling networks.
“The important thing is to save the Indonesian people first, and then we will work together to eliminate the gamblers,” he said.
According to a June 22 report by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center, the cumulative online gambling volume in the first quarter of 2024 will reach 600 trillion rupiah ($36.5 billion), involving around 3 million players, of which around 2.19 million are from low-income brackets.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Utilization and Civil Service Reform Abdullah Azwar Anas told local media that comprehensive measures were needed to deal with civil servants involved in online gambling.
“I don’t know how many (public servants) are involved in online gambling, but I think the police have done a good job of fighting (the problem) although comprehensive measures are needed,” he said, according to the Jakarta Globe.
Ministry spokesman Mohamed Averous said the ministry would continue to take disciplinary action against civil servants to curb the spread of online gambling.
He said if a public servant is arrested and found guilty, legal proceedings will be conducted in parallel with disciplinary action.
“They may therefore also be sent to prison. Legal proceedings may run parallel to disciplinary measures,” Aberous said, as reported by Detic newspaper.
Meanwhile, another ministry has announced plans to publish a list of civil servants involved in online gambling, starting with its own department.
“We will announce on Thursday the names of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology staff members who are suspected to be infected,” Minister of Communications and Information Technology Budi Ali Setiadi said.
Online gambling is widespread in Indonesia and has led to an increase in criminal activity, including family violence, according to local media.
In early June, a female police officer was charged with murder for allegedly burning to death her colleague’s husband due to her gambling addiction, in a case that has put the spotlight on online gambling in Indonesia.
