Online Gambling Scandal And Efforts To Transfer Issues, Who Is The Real Mastermind?

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Online gambling cases (judol) are in the public spotlight after a number of names from the internal Ministry of Communication and Informatics (now Komdigi) were dragged away.

Instead of focusing on disclosing the network of dealers who are still free to operate, the public's attention was actually led to Budi Arie Setiadi, the former Minister of Communication and Information.

Chairman of the DPC Projo Karimun Wisnu Hidayatullah said the accusations against the main driver of eradicating the judol site were no joke.

He is said to have received a flow of funds from the dealer in exchange for allowing judol sites to remain active.

However, until now, there is not a single legal evidence that can corroborate these allegations.

"On the other hand, many parties consider the allegations as a systematic effort to bring down the reputation of one of the main fighters in the fight against digital crimes in Indonesia," said Wisnu.

During the last trial process, it was revealed that the protection network of judol sites was controlled by an organized group led by Alwin Jabar Kiemas.

Prayers are suspected of playing a role as collectors of funds from dealers and establishing connections with a number of internal Kominfo elements, including two names that are now in the spotlight, namely Denden and Adhi Kismanto or AK.

Adhi Kismanto, who was originally known as an active figure in the takedown team of judol sites, was apparently recruited by Toni, an individual who claims to be close to Budi Arie.

Since March 2024, Adhi Kismanto is known to have started working with Alwin and received the distribution of funds from this illegal operation.

From the testimony circulating, it was stated that 50 percent of the funds were earmarked for Budi Arie claims that had not been legally proven and were still assumptive.

"If digital fighters like Budi Arie are used as political sacrifices, then this nation is tearing down its last fort in the fight against digital crime," said Wisnu.

During Budi Arie's tenure, said Wisnu, Indonesia recorded the history of eradicating millions of Judol sites and securing hundreds of trillions of people's money so as not to be smoked by bookies.

Budi Arie is also known as the initiator of the first AI-based filtering system in Southeast Asia.

However, after no longer taking office, the judol site got crazier.

When the eradication echo starts to dim, public opinion is like directed to forget who the main actor is behind the resurgence of this digital crime practice.

In fact, Mahfud MD, who served as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs for the 2019-2023 period, has only now raised his voice and cornered Budi Arie.

In fact, over the years he has been in a strategic position that is very likely to help overcome the rise of judol.

"The public is also wondering why Mahfud has just spoken up now, and why is his statement actually leading to the delegitimation of a figure who has been known to be active in eradicating illegal sites?" he said.