President Prabowo Deeply Concerned by Alleged Wiretapping Case

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto is deeply concerned about developments in the naming of several individuals as suspects in a case involving alleged wiretapping, deletion of electronic evidence and illegal access targeting the head of state and a number of other leaders and figures.

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi said the President expressed this concern following developments in the case, which has also implicated an official within the Presidential Palace.

“On his behalf, the President once again expresses his profound concern over these developments,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Prasetyo said President Prabowo was deeply concerned because the alleged actions had been carried out by individuals from an institution under the President. He said the situation was also worrying for the public interest.

“He is very, very concerned. Even a head of state has been targeted, and an institution under the President has then made such an attempt. This is certainly deeply concerning and, once again, very worrying for all of us,” he said.

Prasetyo said President Prabowo had made a decision and signed a presidential decree dismissing Listyo Sigit Prabowo from the post of Presidential Chief of Staff.

As a temporary replacement, the President appointed Lieutenant General Ariyo Windutomo as acting Presidential Chief of Staff. Ariyo is the Head of the Presidential Secretariat.

Prasetyo added that his office had also coordinated with National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto to ensure that public services provided by the police were not disrupted by developments in the case.

“We have also coordinated with the National Police Chief to ensure that, in particular, public services provided by the police are not reduced in any way,” he said.

“We tell the public there is no need to worry, because these actions were carried out by certain individuals,” he said.

Previously, the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department named three police personnel, identified by the initials LSP, ASN and EH, as suspects in alleged procedural violations involving wiretapping (illegal tapping), deletion of electronic data and illegal access.

National Police Criminal Investigation Department Chief Commissioner General Asep Safrudin said at the department’s headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday (3 November) that the three were named as suspects after investigators questioned several witnesses and seized a number of pieces of evidence.

After being named as suspects, all three were detained at the National Police headquarters’ detention centre in Jakarta.