The case follows the arrest on Tuesday of three senior police officers, including Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the president’s chief of staff. Listyo, who is not related to the president, was removed from his post shortly after his detention. Investigators allege that the group keyed phone numbers, including Prabowo’s, into the police’s official electronic surveillance system without obtaining necessary investigation warrants or case reports. Cybercrime unit director Suhermanto stated that SU gave approval for the wiretapping and for the subsequent deletion of interception records. SU has not been detained due to a recent stroke, according to police.
The incident has exposed significant tensions between President Prabowo and his predecessor, Joko Widodo, who supported Prabowo’s 2024 presidential campaign. Listyo is widely viewed as a loyalist to Widodo. Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, noted that the scandal suggests the two leaders are “going their separate ways.” Authorities suspect the alleged wiretapping activities began in 2025, while Listyo was still serving as the national police chief. A presidential spokesperson indicated that the interception of “sensitive information” could constitute treason, a crime punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty in Indonesia, though the nation has not carried out executions in a decade.
The investigation is ongoing, with police questioning 13 officers and five technical experts. The operation was reportedly discovered last week following a tip-off from a police officer. Beyond the president, authorities said the surveillance targets included politicians, journalists, NGO representatives, and businesspeople. The scandal has intensified pressure on Prabowo’s administration, which is facing public discontent over populist policies and weakening investor confidence in the country’s $1.5 trillion economy.
Security measures in Jakarta have been heightened, with thousands of troops deployed in the capital. Military tents and buses have been observed in the city, although officials reported that the situation remained calm through Thursday and Friday. In a related political development, lawmakers are considering a probe into the eligibility of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo’s son, who was elected alongside Prabowo in 2024. This parliamentary inquiry could be the first step toward removing the vice president from office.
