Indonesian authorities arrested former national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo and two other senior officers on Tuesday. The trio is accused of illegally intercepting the phone calls of President Prabowo Subianto and various other high-profile figures.
The 2025 surveillance of President Prabowo Subianto
According to the report , the illegal wiretapping operation began in 2025 and targeted a wide array of sensitive individuals across the political and media landscapes. Top detective Asep Safrudin confirmed that the surveillance of President Prabowo Subianto, journalists, and government officials was conducted without any legal basis or proper investigative process. The operation was a direct violation of applicable laws and regulations, marking a severe escalation in the scrutiny of the current administration's security apparatus.
The scope of the interceptions was not limited to the presidency. Investigators state that the surveillance extended to representatives from non-governmental organizations and prominent businesspeople. This suggests a broad-spectrum intelligence gathering effort that went far beyond a targeted investigation into a single individual or group, indicating a systemic abuse of police resources by Listyo Sigit Prabowo and his associates.
Prasetyo Hadi's warning of potential treason
The severity of these accusations was highlighted by Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi, who stated on Wednesday that the actions of Listyo Sigit Prabowo could be classified as treason under Indonesian law.. Prasetyo Hadi warned that the interception of the head of state's calls could compromise sensitive state information and endanger the safety of the national leader. Because the discussions of a president naturally involve critical national security details, the government views this as a catastrophic breach of protocol and trust.
The government's focus is now on the potential exposure of this information. As the report says, the potential exposure of sensitive state data poses a direct risk to the strength and interests of the nation. This legal framing—moving from simple illegal surveillance to the charge of treason—indicates that the administration views this not merely as a criminal act, but as a fundamental threat to the stability of the Indonesian state.
A seventh cabinet reshuffle and the failed Chief of Staff appointment
This scandal emerges at a precarious moment for the administration of President Prabowo Subianto. The president had recently reshuffled his cabinet for a seventh time, an act of political volatility that culminated in the appointment of the 57-year-old Listyo Sigit Prabowo as chief of staff. This appointment was intended to strengthen the executive branch, but the subsequent arrest for wiretapping suggests a profound failure in the vetting process or a deep-seated conflict within the inner circle of power.
The internal betrayal occurs while the Indonesian government is already under significant pressure. President Prabowo Subianto is currently facing criticism regarding the government's handling of the national economy and its response to destructive wildfires affecting the Southeast Asian archipelago. The addition of a high-level security scandal involving the chief of staff threatens to further undermine the administration's perceived competence and stability.
The missing motive behind Listyo Sigit Prabowo's interceptions
Despite the arrests, several critical details remain obscured. Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi admitted that the motive for the surveillance operation remains unclear at this stage of the investigation.. It is currently unknown whether Listyo Sigit Prabowo was acting on behalf of a rival political faction, seeking personal leverage, or operating under a misguided sense of "national security" that bypassed legal channels.
Furthermore,authorities have not yet disclosed the full duration of the wiretapping or whether other high-ranking officials within the police or intelligence agencies were complicit. It is also worth noting that the current reporting relies entirely on government statements; no defense or sttatement from Listyo Sigit Prabowo or the two other arrested officers has been made public, leaving the narrative entirely in the hands of the state.
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