GP Ansor Calls for Public Participation in Cybersecurity Bill Deliberations

The Cyber Division of the Gerakan Pemuda Ansor (GP Ansor) Central Executive Board believes the deliberation process for the Draft Law on Security and Resilience in Cyberspace lacks transparency and public participation. As a strategic regulation that will become the foundation of national cybersecurity governance, the bill’s discussion should be conducted openly to obtain input from all stakeholders. Head of the GP Ansor Cyber Division, Ahmad Luthfi, stated that cybersecurity is no longer solely an issue of state defence but has become a matter that directly affects people’s lives. Therefore, the regulation must be drafted accountably and involve the public. ‘The Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill will serve as the legal foundation for Indonesia’s digital ecosystem in the long term. A regulation with such a broad impact on the digital rights of citizens should not be discussed behind closed doors. Transparency is a prerequisite for producing a regulation that is high-quality, legitimate, and capable of addressing national cybersecurity challenges,’ Ahmad Luthfi said. He argued that the closed-door approach risks reducing the quality of the bill’s substance, as it prevents academics, cybersecurity practitioners, digital industry players, civil society organisations, technology communities, and professional associations from providing meaningful input. The Cyber Division assessed that Indonesia has entered a new phase of cyber threats. In recent years, the public has faced numerous cases of personal data breaches, ransomware attacks on public services and the financial sector, digital fraud, phishing, identity theft, account takeovers, and the misuse of artificial intelligence technology through deepfakes and voice cloning. These conditions indicate that the regulatory orientation must not only focus on state security but also prioritise human security. Beyond transparency, the Cyber Division also encouraged the adoption of best practices from other countries. Singapore has built a critical information infrastructure protection system with mandatory incident reporting obligations. The European Union, through NIS2, strengthens cybersecurity governance, digital supply chain security, and leadership accountability. Australia reinforces national cyber resilience through reporting obligations and critical infrastructure protection, while the United States has developed a close collaboration model between the government and the private sector to face cyber threats. ‘Indonesia must not only pursue the existence of a law but also ensure that the law is capable of protecting the public, strengthening national resilience, and adapting to the development of global cyber threats. Good regulation is born from an open, participatory, and public interest-based process,’ Ahmad Luthfi asserted. The GP Ansor Cyber Division urged the House of Representatives and the government to provide public access to the draft Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill, conduct meaningful public consultations involving academics, cybersecurity communities, industry players, civil society organisations, and professional associations, and ensure that the enacted law truly becomes an instrument for public protection as well as the foundation of national cyber resilience in the digital era.