Hoax Spreading IDR 2 Trillion Of PEN Funds Hidden By The Government, Head Of KSU Rinjani Threatened With 10 Years In Prison

MATARAM - The head of the Multipurpose Cooperative (KSU) Rinjani with the initials SS is threatened with 10 years in prison for spreading false news which says that funds from the government for the community in the National Economic Recovery (PEN) program worth Rp. 2 trillion were hidden.

"The threat of punishment is in accordance with the criminal suspicion that determined SS as a suspect," said Head of the Head of Public Relations of the NTB Polda Kombes Artanto in Mataram, Antara, Friday, February 18.

The threat of 10 years in prison is in accordance with Article 14 Paragraph 1.2 and Article 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations. In addition, investigators also applied Article 28 Paragraph 2 Juncto Article 45 Paragraph 2 of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE).

Criminal threats were also alleged to SS regarding the distribution of information containing insults or defamation, in this case accusations against the government for hiding the distribution of PEN funds to the public.

The allegation is in accordance with Article 27 Paragraph 3 of the ITE Law, which carries a maximum penalty of 6 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion. Furthermore, Artanto said that the legal process, which is now entering a new phase, has an agenda for questioning SS as a suspect.

"Because the suspect was named last week, investigators have scheduled an examination of SS in his status as a suspect, in the near future it is scheduled," he said.

Investigators have not detained the suspect SS because this status will go hand in hand with a series of investigations.

"Everything is under the authority of investigators. We cannot confirm yet, but later it (detention) will be carried out in line with the investigation process," he explained.

Suspect SS in YouTube content entitled "KSU Rinjani Press Conference" accused the Government of hiding the distribution of PEN funds to the public.

This was used by the SS as a motive to hinder the distribution of the KSU Rinjani program, which promised assistance of three cows with a budget of Rp. 100 million for each member.

The upload allegedly caused a reaction from a number of members of KSU Rinjani, by demonstrating to the NTB Provincial Government. Members of KSU Rinjani demanded that the Government immediately distribute the program of three cows from PEN funds. Regarding this issue, the police have asked the government for clarification.

"From the clarification of the investigative team, the government stated that there was no such program or budget, either from the center or the regions," he said.

The clarification statement from the government was strengthened by examining data and current and future programs. "So it is not true that there is a program and realization of the PEN budget from the government," he said.

In addition to the evidence from the clarification, the determination of SS as a suspect was also strengthened by statements from experts in the field of language and ITE.