Kominfo Threatens To Block Telegram For Online Gambling, Sends Second Letter

Director General of Aptika Kominfo Samuel Abrijani Pangerapan (photo: Dinda Buana/VOI)

JAKARTA - Director General of Informatics Applications at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Samuel A. Pangerapan said that currently the Ministry of Communication and Information has sent a second letter to Telegram regarding online gambling content.

"The latest update is related, we have called Telegram, we have sent a second letter to follow up. So there are 600 pending items, we must immediately complete their expectations for a week to respond," said Semmy on Friday, June 14 at the Kominfo office, Jakarta.

If Telegram still has not responded, then within one week of the second letter being sent, Kominfo will give the final ultimatum before it will finally be blocked.

"Once again (wrote). If it's the third time, it's blocked. It's a week (time period," said Semmy.

Previously, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics had sent a first warning letter to Telegram, because the application was widely reported by the public containing online gambling content (judol) and pornography.

Launching several media, Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi also said that he had identified 31 Internet Service Providers (ISP) who had content related to online gambling, of which Telegram was one of them.

To eradicate online gambling in the country, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics together with other Ministries and Institutions has formed an Online Judicial Eradication Task Force (Satgas) which will be chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

"Regarding the Task Force, yes. It is being circulated next week that the first meeting has started. There are two structures, the prevention is chaired by the Minister of Communication and Information, while the prosecution is chaired by the National Police Chief for the coordinating chairman of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs," explained Semmy.