IAW Warns of the Importance of Proper Digital Governance to Prevent Corruption
The Co-Founder Secretary of Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW), Iskandar Sitorus, believes that digital services across various government institutions do not yet sufficiently guarantee the creation of clean governance. He emphasised that without the digitalisation of data governance and strong supervision, malpractice has the potential to shift from service spaces to electronic systems that are more difficult to detect.
He assessed that digital transformation must be accompanied by the strengthening of data governance so that technology does not become a new arena for the abuse of authority. “Digitalisation is often marketed as the answer to corruption. Documents that were previously moved from desk to desk are now uploaded through systems. Payments are made electronically. Inspection routes are determined based on risk profiles. Physical meetings have indeed decreased. However, the disappearance of the desk does not automatically eliminate transactions; they can simply move to system access,” Iskandar told reporters on Sunday, 2 August 2026.
He explained that the primary issue in the digital era is no longer about who meets whom, but rather who possesses the authority to control the system. According to him, various strategic decisions in customs services can be influenced through the management of data and system parameters if not strictly supervised.
“The question then changes. Who can change a company’s profile? Who can lower or raise a risk level? Who knows that a container will enter the inspection lane? Who can access data before a decision is made? Do these changes leave a trail? And can that trail be deleted?” he said.
Iskandar emphasised that digitalisation and digital governance are two different things. “Digitalisation only explains that a process uses technology. Digital governance explains who holds power over that technology and how that power is held accountable,” Isklar explained.
In his view, Indonesia already possesses a sufficiently strong regulatory foundation through the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE), Satu Data Indonesia, the National SPBE Architecture, and policies regarding the interoperability of government digital services. The challenge, he noted, is now ensuring these principles are effectively implemented in cross-border trade governance.
“Every piece of data must have a clear owner. Every change must be traceable. Every access must be restricted according to job functions. Every algorithmic decision must have a human being held responsible. There must be no withholding of goods that is merely explained by the sentence, ‘That is a system decision’,” he concluded.