Jakarta. The government has acknowledged that electronic devices could be used to illegally intercept President Prabowo Subianto's communications despite layers of security protecting the head of state, as police investigate allegations involving three senior officers.

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said on Wednesday that the government had put various security measures in place to protect the president, but these could not entirely rule out the possibility of unauthorized access to his electronic communications.

“Even so, there are individuals who could exploit the technical possibilities offered by electronic equipment,” Prasetyo told reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

The National Police's (Polri) Criminal Investigation Department named former presidential chief of staff and former police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo a suspect on Tuesday in a case involving alleged illegal wiretapping, unauthorized access and deletion of electronic data.

Two active police generals, Inspector General Ahrie Sonta and Inspector General Eko Hadi, were also named suspects. Another individual is being questioned as a witness.

The three suspects are alleged to have used a Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS), a platform that manages the interception of communications through telecommunications networks.

LIMS is designed to handle interception requests, register targets, manage authorization, and distribute intercepted information to legally authorized institutions. Unlike spyware applications that require access to a target's device, the system can obtain communications through infrastructure operated by telecommunications providers, subject to legal requirements and authorization.

Prasetyo said he could not yet confirm which conversations had allegedly been intercepted by the three officers.

He urged the public to wait for the outcome of the police investigation before drawing conclusions, including about the communications targeted, the alleged motive and who may have received the intercepted information.

Government Reviews Wiretapping Rules

Separately, Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the government would review regulations governing wiretapping following the allegations involving senior police officers.

Yusril said the review would involve coordination with the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs and relevant institutions, including the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN).

“Of course, we will conduct an evaluation,” Yusril told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He said several state institutions were legally authorized to conduct wiretapping using specialized equipment, including the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Attorney General's Office and the National Police.

However, such operations must comply with applicable laws and procedures. Yusril said the police, for example, had internal regulations governing how wiretapping could be conducted.

He warned that unauthorized interception or surveillance carried out for purposes unrelated to an institution's official duties could constitute a criminal offense, punishable under the Criminal Code or the Electronic Information and Transactions Law.

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