Minister with Six Wives Proven Guilty of Corruption, Judge Hands Down Death Sentence
Jusuf Muda Dalam (JMD) served as the Minister of Central Bank Affairs during the 1963-1966 period within the IV Working Cabinet and the Dwikora Cabinet under President Soekarno. During his tenure, he was responsible for managing state finances and formulating banking policies. However, the lack of oversight at the time created vast opportunities for corruption, leading to a major scandal uncovered in August 1966.
According to the case report titled ‘Son of a Bandit in a Virgin’s Nest (The JMD Scandal) (1966)’, JMD was involved in four major offences. First, he granted import permits through a Deferred Payment scheme to importing companies, involving foreign credit payment deferrals totalling US$270 million. Second, he provided credits to specific companies that contributed to a ballooning national deficit. Third, he embezzled state funds or revolutionary funds amounting to Rp97.3 billion. Fourth, he conducted unauthorised weapons smuggling from Czechoslovakia.
The proceeds from these illicit activities were used for personal luxury. It was revealed that he purchased houses, land, jewellery, and cars, and spent lavishly on numerous women; 20ad25 women were known to have benefited from the corruption, despite JMD already having six wives.
The scandal sparked widespread public outrage, particularly as Indonesia’s economy was deteriorating, with skyrocketing inflation and soaring food prices. The sight of a high-ranking official living in luxury amidst national suffering incensed the populace.
On 30 August 1966, the case went to court, presided over by Chief Judge Made Labde. The trial drew massive public attention, with crowded and often boisterous courtrooms. While JMD attempted to evade various charges, he did admit to his six marriages, famously telling the judges, ‘The judges surely understand why I married six times, after seeing how beautiful my wives are.’
On 8 September 1966, the panel delivered its verdict. ‘With full conviction and responsibility to Almighty God, I hereby impose the death penalty!’ declared Chief Judge Made Labde. The sentence was based on the proven large-scale corruption and misuse of his ministerial position, which caused billions of rupiah in losses. The judge also noted JMD’s communist leanings, evidenced by policies such as mandating the singing of the ‘Internationale’ and changing the term ‘employee’ to ‘labourer’.
The verdict included the seizure of his assets, including four luxury cars, six houses, and various plots of land. Some critics argued the sentence was too lenient; the Chairman of PBNU, KH Moch Dahlan, even remarked that a single death sentence was insufficient. JMD appealed to the Supreme Court on 8 April 1967, but the appeal was rejected, upholding the death sentence.
Ultimately, the execution never took place. In September 1976, before he could face the executioner, JMD died in prison due to tetanus. To this day, JMD remains recorded as the first and only corrupt official to be sentenced to death in Indonesia.