Indonesian Minister Denies Ties to Online Gambling Kickbacks: “A Malicious Lie”
Indonesia’s Minister of Cooperatives, Budi Arie Setiadi, has firmly denied allegations that he received kickbacks in exchange for allowing online gambling websites to remain unblocked during his previous tenure as Communications Minister. JAKARTA — Speaking to reporters on Monday, Budi Arie dismissed the claims as “a malicious narrative” aimed at damaging his reputation. “It’s completely false. This is a deliberate smear campaign targeting my personal integrity,” he said. The allegations, which su…