Jakarta (ANTARA) - Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate revealed that his administration had taken down some half a million online gambling sites and accounts.

"People have also asked about gambling. Since 2018, half a million gambling accounts have been taken down, more than half a million. Also, every day, we conduct cyber patrols as a clean up measure," Minister Plate stated at the Presidential Palace here on Tuesday.

The statement aims to address the netizens' concerns that the ministry allowed online gambling applications to operate while blocking other applications, such as PayPal. Plate clarified that his administration offered no room for online gambling, as it violated the law.

However, Plate said his side would examine several applications, including games, which had registered themselves to the electronic service providers (PSE) list.

"For those that had registered to the PSE, we would clarify (them and) study them further. Should there be (any indication) of online gambling, then there is no room in Indonesia (for such things), and it must be taken down. Hopefully, it would be done in one to two days. We do not want to take down (anything) without clarifying and studying it (first)," he explained.

According to the minister, providers that had registered to the PSE list should ensure that the data of users, including Indonesians, was protected.

"In fact, the registration of electronic service providers requires the providers to protect users' or people's personal data, particularly that of Indonesian people," he noted at the General Election's Office here on Monday, August 1, after listing the National Democratic Party as participant in the 2023 general election.

The requirements for electronic service providers included mandatory protection of public data protection, Indonesians, in this case, and requiring providers to follow the state law, as well as conducting tests to gauge eligibility of their system.

He stated that the registration did not stipulate anything about personal data except with regard to law enforcement. The use of personal data, except for law enforcement needs, was not allowed in the regulation.

Related news: Jakarta police hunt financier of online football gambling
Related news: Jiwasraya corruption money used for gambling at Singapore casinos

Translator: Mentari D G, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022