Komdigi in Indonesia tackles corruption in ministry overhaul
JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) is cracking the whip on governance lapses, laying off five contract-based employees after an audit unearthed maladministration in its Directorate General of Information Applications. The move reflects Minister Meutya Hafid’s stance on transparency and clean organisational governance.
Inspector General Arief Tri Hardiyanto shed light on the gravity of the situation, explaining that the dismissed employees were not listed in the Bureau of Personnel database, a clear breach of employment regulations.
“Every employee at the Komdigi Ministry must meet the prevailing administrative qualifications,” Hardiyanto said.
The dismissals are a clarion call for all ministry officials to step up their game, particularly in governance and digital content supervision.
“In addition to solving problems, we are focused on prevention through continuous evaluation. This proves our commitment to supporting inclusive, safe, and beneficial digital transformation,” Hardiyanto added.
A web of corruption at Komdigi unveiled
The ministry’s crackdown comes in the wake of a broader scandal involving employees implicated in an online gambling network.
The Jakarta Metro Police have now arrested 26 individuals connected to the case, including 10 Komdigi employees, nine civil servants, and a ministry expert. The suspects are charged with offences ranging from gambling to money laundering.
The revelations paint a damning picture of systemic corruption. Instead of blocking online gambling sites as mandated, certain ministry employees allegedly protected them in exchange for payments from operators.
Commissioner Ade Ary Syam Indradi, head of public relations at the Jakarta Metro Police, detailed how these employees demanded Rp8.5 million per site as a “security fee” to avoid blacklisting.
“So they were tasked to block online gambling sites. They were given access to view online gambling sites and block them,” said Indradi.
However, those who failed to pay up within two weeks faced the axe. The network’s reach extended to facilitating money laundering and acting as agents for gambling websites, further deepening the rot.
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The ministry’s efforts to turn the tide
Deputy Minister Nezar Patria stated that the ministry has taken immediate steps to address these issues, including a comprehensive evaluation of human resources and technology systems.
“We immediately carried out an audit, evaluating our technology systems and how we control negative digital content,” Patria said last month.
As the scandal unravels, the ministry is doubling down on its commitment to digital governance.
Nursodik Gunarjo, spokesperson for the Directorate General of Information and Public Communication, reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance approach.
“According to the direction of President Prabowo Subianto and Minister of Communication and Trade, Meutya Hafid, we will continue to be committed to strengthening efforts to eradicate online gambling indiscriminately with various parties,” Nursodik said.
The official also highlighted the evolving tactics of gambling operators, who exploit weak security systems to infiltrate websites.
“The perpetrator will then insert an online gambling link to the successfully compromised website,” Nursodik explained, urging web managers to strengthen site security by updating software and addressing vulnerabilities regularly.
A warning and a wake-up call
The crackdown is a stark reminder of the ministry’s commitment to rooting out corruption. It also signals that the leadership is intent on turning over a new leaf in the wake of the scandal.
Yet, the move requires vigilance and unrelenting efforts to regain public trust and strengthen Indonesia’s digital ecosystem.
While Komdigi grapples with the fallout, officials maintain that misconduct will no longer be swept under the rug. For the ministry, this marks a turning point to ensure that its digital transformation journey is not built on shaky ground but a solid foundation of transparency and accountability.