PCO Concerning Budi Arie Appears In Charge Of Accepting Money To Protect Gambling: Let The Legal Process Run

JAKARTA - Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi responded to questions regarding the name of the Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi who was mentioned in the prosecutor's indictment in the trial of the gambling case (judol).

Hasan Nasbi said the government respects the ongoing legal process.

"Let the legal process run, and we believe this legal process will open everything up openly," Hasan Nasbi said in response to reporters' questions reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 19.

On the same occasion, Hasan also invited the public not to make accusations, and wait for the court's decision.

"So we are waiting for the court's decision so that we do not precede the court's decision," said the Head of PCO.

Hasan said that so far there has been no legal process that Budi Arie has undertaken.

He asked all parties not to force certain people to be guilty, because only the panel of judges had the authority to determine it in court.

"We (the government, ed.) do not intervene in the legal process. That's why I said, what is wrong will appear wrong when this legal process is running. What is not wrong should also not be forced to be guilty. What is not wrong will also appear innocent in the legal process," Hasan Nasbi said.

Meanwhile, Budi Arie, who had served as Minister of Communication and Information during the 7th President Joko Widodo administration, denied the narrative that he received 50 percent of the money from the protection of the gambling site which was carried out by a number of unscrupulous employees of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, now the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs.

"That is an evil narrative that attacks my personal dignity and dignity. That is absolutely not true," Budi Arie said in a written statement to ANTARA in Jakarta, Monday.

He said the narrative that appeared and dragged his name was a collusion of the suspects in the online gambling case who are currently undergoing trial.

"So they just announced that the Minister would later be given a 50 percent share. I didn't know there was an agreement. They also never told me. Moreover, the flow of funds. In fact, it doesn't exist," said Budi Arie.

Budi Arie's name appeared in the prosecutor's indictment in the case of alleged protection of the gambling site by a number of employees of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The indictment was read out by the prosecutor during a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (14/5).

Budi Arie, in his written statement, stated that he was ready to prove that he was not involved in the practice of protecting judol sites at all.

"The point is, first they (the suspects) never told me they would give 50 percent. They will not dare to say, because I will immediately process the law," said Budi Arie.

Second, Budi admitted that he did not know about the evil practices committed by his former subordinates. He only found out about the case after being investigated by the police until it was later revealed to the public.

"Thirdly, there is no flow of funds from them to me. This is the most important thing. For me, it has proven a lot," he said.

Budi Arie hopes that the public can see this case clearly so that it does not dissolve in the evil narrative against him.

Budi also hopes that law enforcers will work straight and professionally so that they can resolve the case.