Indonesia considers bug sweeps, tighter controls on spy tools after wiretap scandal

Indonesia plans to tighten controls on state surveillance equipment and potentially conduct searches for hidden listening devices at the presidential palace, following an illegal wiretapping scandal, a minister announced on Monday. This comes in the wake of the discovery of unauthorized monitoring of the president, key officials, and others last week.

Four senior police officers, including a former national police chief who had recently become President Prabowo Subianto's chief of staff, were arrested for unauthorized phone surveillance. While an investigation is ongoing and no formal charges have been filed yet, the government claims the scandal points towards treason. The matter is being examined further, with the president's chief of staff confirming that authorities will consider such sweeps as a preventative measure.

The government also aims to prevent misuse of wiretapping equipment by certain agencies in the future. This incident occurs at a time when President Prabowo is facing public criticism over his expensive social programs and struggles to regain investor confidence in Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy. The extent of the illegal wiretapping remains unclear, as it is suspected to have begun after Prabowo's appointment in late 2024.

Targets included businessmen, journalists, activists, and political figures, though their identities have not been disclosed. The former police chief implicated in the case, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, is believed to be loyal to Prabowo's predecessor, Joko Widodo, who recently dismissed him from his post as presidential chief of staff following his arrest.

President Prabowo recently met with ten former police chiefs to discuss the wiretapping scandal. The national police were alerted about the issue by a tip, which was investigated and reported to Prabowo before the subsequent probe.