Jakarta, May 12 -- The Indonesian government removed around 11,000 families from its social aid recipient list after detecting indications that assistance funds were used for online gambling, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on Tuesday.

"For this year, we have unlisted more than 11,000 beneficiaries in the first quarter and 75 more in the second," Yusuf told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta.

Yusuf said the decision followed a data-matching process that identified aid recipients linked to online gambling transactions.

He noted the number of delisted beneficiaries fell sharply from around 600,000 cases recorded last year.

"In short, we are witnessing a significant decline," the minister said.

However,...