Indonesia considers bug sweeps, tighter controls on spy tools after wiretap scandal
The scandal resulted in the arrest of four senior police officers accused of illegal phone surveillance, including Prabowo Subianto's newly appointed chief of staff.
Indonesia plans to tighten controls on state surveillance equipment and consider sweeps of the presidential palace for bugging devices, following last week's discovery of illegal wiretaps, according to a minister. The scandal led to the arrest of four senior police officers accused of unauthorized monitoring of phones, including a former national police chief who was recently appointed as President Prabowo Subianto's chief of staff.
The government stated that the wiretapping scandal pointed to treason, and an investigation is underway, though no formal charges have been announced yet.
Senior minister for legal affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra hinted at the possibility of sweeping the presidential palace for covert electronic devices, describing it as an anticipation measure. The government is also taking steps to prevent future misuse of wiretapping equipment by certain agencies, the minister stated to reporters.
The scandal comes at a time when Prabowo is facing growing public pressure over his costly social programs and struggles to restore investor confidence in Indonesia's economy after a series of setbacks this year. The wiretapping scandal has also highlighted political tension within Indonesia and the rift between Prabowo and the influential two-term predecessor, Joko Widodo.
The extent of the illegal wiretapping remains undisclosed, but it is believed to have started after Prabowo took office in late 2024. Among those monitored were businesspeople, journalists, activists, and political figures, with their identities not disclosed. Former police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who is not related to the president, is widely seen as a loyalist of Widodo.
Listyo was recently reassigned to the post of presidential chief of staff but was subsequently sacked following his arrest over the alleged wiretapping.
President Prabowo met with 10 former police chiefs on Sunday to discuss the wiretapping scandal, according to Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. The new chief of the national police reportedly received a tip that led to the investigation, which has since identified the locations of the wiretapping devices, as stated by Yusril.
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