Jakarta. Presidential candidates engaged in a heated exchange regarding the transparency of Indonesia's defense data in the third presidential debate for the 2024 election on Sunday,  Prabowo Subianto, who is also the current defense minister, remained steadfast in refusing to disclose the information, despite continuous pressure from rival Anies Baswedan.

Prabowo said he was willing to privately share defense data with Anies, but not with the public. 

Khairul Fahmi, Co-Founder of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), supported Prabowo's stance, emphasizing that not all defense data can be publicly disclosed.

"Not all state defense data should be revealed. While achieving complete transparency might not be feasible, that does not mean we can overlook accountability," he said on Wednesday.

Fahmi said that the current state of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) equipment is not combat-ready. Almost 50 percent of Indonesia's military equipment is old and outdated.

"The details regarding this matter certainly cannot be fully disclosed," he said.

Fahmi opted for the term "exempted information" over "classified information." He said that complete publication could heighten vulnerability and risk to Indonesia's defense amid potential geopolitical threats. 

Fahmi added that confidentiality or exemption doesn't imply complete inaccessibility, as the information might be disclosed in the appropriate context and timing. For example, this information could be shared during meetings with the House of Representatives attended by policymakers and the government.

Political analyst Ujang Komarudin from Al Azhar University said that not all state data should be revealed. Drawing on his experience as a judge for public information transparency, Ujang recognized the existence of certain exempted data.

"Revealing state secrets to the public would jeopardize the nation. It opens the door for foreign entities to harm us, or even worse, we may harm ourselves. Some data should be made public, while others must be kept confidential," he said on Wednesday.

International Relations expert from Padjajaran University (Unpad), Teuku Rezasyah, commended Prabowo for exercising restraint and not disclosing classified defense data during the debate.

Teuku stated that Prabowo understands well that classified information can be known only by those who have taken an oath of secrecy.

"The person must be sworn in to access that data, and not everyone in the Defense Ministry can read confidential information. The Minister of Defense is also sworn not to disclose that data to the public," said Teuku.