Academics urge strengthening of national counter-intelligence

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Lecturer from the National Resilience Studies Programme at the School of Sustainable Development Postgraduate Programme, University of Indonesia, Dr. Stanislaus Riyanta, is urging the strengthening of national counter-intelligence to address potential foreign threats.

“Building a counter-intelligence agency is very important to prevent threats,” said Stanislaus in his statement in Jakarta on Thursday.

He conveyed this during the Intelligence Seminar on Intelligence Governance in Facing Geopolitical Uncertainty and Asymmetric Threats, organised by the School of Sustainable Development Postgraduate Programme at the IASTH Building, University of Indonesia, Salemba, Jakarta.

According to him, Indonesia cannot eliminate its attractiveness factor, so the most realistic step is to strengthen the security system, including through enhancing the counter-intelligence function.

Stanislaus assessed that currently, the counter-intelligence function in Indonesia is spread across several institutions, such as the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces’ Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), but it is not yet integrated into a specific body.

“There is a Deputy for Counter-Intelligence in BIN, and also in BAIS. It just needs to be strengthened further so that it can prevent threats,” he said.

In addition, he emphasised the importance of increasing detection and early prevention capacity as part of efforts to maintain national security from non-conventional threats.

“The most important thing is that we strengthen the security system,” he said.

Stanislaus hopes that the government can consider the establishment or strengthening of counter-intelligence institutions in a more comprehensive manner, as part of the strategy to maintain sovereignty and protect national interests.