Indonesia Wiretapping Scandal Targets President Prabowo and High-Level Officials

POLICY WIRE — Jakarta, Indonesia — The head of the Indonesian police informed lawmakers on Thursday that an illicit surveillance operation aimed at President Prabowo Subianto included a wide array of high-profile targets. This revelation has expanded a growing scandal that is causing significant alarm throughout the nation’s security and political leadership structures.

General Suyudi Ario Seto provided testimony to a parliamentary committee currently probing the operation. The surveillance scheme is alleged to have involved several prominent figures, including the president’s own chief of staff. According to Seto, the list of monitored targets encompassed the president, members of the presidential staff, various ministries, state agencies, members of parliament, political party leaders, governors, anti-corruption investigators, activists, and students.

Speaking to parliament’s Commission III—the body responsible for security and law enforcement—Seto clarified that being included on the surveillance list does not indicate that an individual is a suspect in any criminal activity.

The allegations regarding the wiretapping surfaced earlier this month following the detention of three high-ranking police generals. This group included General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was appointed as Prabowo’s chief of staff in October and maintains close ties to former President Joko Widodo. Since then, a fourth senior police official has been linked to the matter.

The office of President Prabowo stated the operation is being scrutinized as a potential case of treason. In response, the government deployed 20,000 troops to Jakarta as a preventative measure, though there has been no evidence of a major military presence in the capital, with most units remaining in their barracks.

A primary focus of the ongoing investigation is identifying who issued the order to wiretap the head of state.

Evan Laksmana, an analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, noted that Widodo has connections to the primary suspects, which has likely exacerbated the existing tension between the former president and the current one.

Laksmana observed that most of Prabowo’s political choices over the last two years were heavily influenced by Widodo. He suggested this situation might represent a moment where Prabowo finally distances himself from Widodo’s influence, potentially entering an open political conflict.

Parliament is currently working to establish the underlying motive for the surveillance. Commission III is attempting to determine if other parties were involved in the operation. Seto, who leads the investigation, assumed the police chief position from Listyo Sigit Prabowo after the latter moved to the president’s chief of staff role.

Habiburokhman, the chairman of Commission III, stated that the case will be pursued until every fact is transparent. He emphasized that any individual found participating in the scheme will face legal consequences.

Amnesty International has urged a thorough inquiry, warning that the wiretapping program could have been utilized to suppress dissent and erode civil liberties within the country.

Recent protests in several major cities saw demonstrators demanding accountability for the wiretapping. These protesters also criticized Widodo’s ongoing influence and called for the resignation of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo’s son. On Tuesday, 154 individuals were arrested in Yogyakarta after clashes erupted during a demonstration involving roughly 2,000 activists and students.

Aside from Listyo Sigit Prabowo, authorities have detained Ahrie Sonta Nasution, head of the National Police Legal Division, and Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior instructor at the National Police Education and Training Institute; both hold the rank of two-star general.

Slamet Uliandi, another two-star general leading the Information and Communications Technology Division of the Criminal Investigation Agency, has been implicated but remains outside custody due to health issues.

On Tuesday, Nasution was dishonorably removed from the police following an internal ethics review linked to the wiretapping. Police spokesperson Johnny Eddizon Isir indicated that similar hearings for the other three suspects are scheduled shortly.

None of the individuals involved have issued public comments regarding the investigation.

Listyo Sigit Prabowo previously led the police force during Widodo’s presidency, though the former president has not been implicated in the wiretapping probe. Widodo has made minimal comments, stating only that the legal proceedings should be respected while the investigation continues.

Prabowo, a former military general, previously lost two presidential elections to Widodo before serving as the latter’s defense minister. He later ran as Widodo’s successor, selecting Widodo’s son as his partner and receiving the father’s support.

Raka offered to step down on Tuesday following a separate inquiry into his academic background, which is not connected to the wiretapping case but has further fueled political instability and the divide between the current and former presidents.

Laksmana predicted that this would likely be a lengthy and difficult separation between Widodo and Prabowo, suggesting a return to normalcy is unlikely. He noted the split would carry significant political and security implications during a challenging period for the nation.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)