The allegation that the phones of politicians, journalists and business people, including President Prabowo Subianto, were illegally tapped in Indonesia resulted in a high-level dismissal decision.
Listyo Sigit Prabowo, the president's chief of staff, was dismissed from his post on Wednesday after he was detained along with two senior police officials.
Listyo, who is not related to the President, served as Head of the National Police Organization for five years and was appointed as the Presidential Private Secretary last month.
In the statement made by the police, it was stated that the suspects, three of whom are still working in the police force, were accused of illegally tapping the phones of many people since 2025.
It was reported that the targets of the wiretapping activities included President Subianto, as well as cabinet members, other government officials, journalists, politicians, business people, non-governmental organizations and managers of various social organizations.
Authorities reported that the wiretaps were conducted without a formal request from investigators.
It was also claimed that the suspects ordered the deletion of electronic records related to monitoring activities last month.
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF 'TRAISON TO THE COUNTRY'
While announcing the dismissal decision, Presidential Spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi emphasized that the allegations could have serious consequences for state security.
Hadi said, "These activities were, of course, carried out by people who acted against certain rules. We are of the opinion that what was done can be considered within the scope of actions that may amount to treason."
Stating that the activities in question may threaten the interests of the state and the security of the country's administration, Hadi stated that the security of the President may also be endangered.
WHO GAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS TO LISTEN?
Indonesia's Senior Minister for Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra announced that the reason behind the illegal wiretapping activities has not yet been determined.
While the police announced in a statement on Tuesday night that the investigation was continuing, they initially shared the identities of the suspects only with their initials.
Local media reported that the other two people detained along with Listyo were Ahrie Sonta Nasution, Head of the Legal Department of the National Police Agency, and Eko Hadi Santoso, a senior official at the Police Training Institution.
The wiretapping scandal came to the fore at a time when President Subianto was facing various political and economic problems.
While Subianto's public support is declining due to increasing dissatisfaction with government policies, efforts are continuing to restore investor confidence in the country's economy.
Record sales on the Indonesian stock market, the depreciation of the national currency and warnings from index provider MSCI that the stock market could be reclassified have increased the pressure on the government.
HIS CLOSNESS TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT DRAW ATTENTION
Yanuar Nugroho, a political analyst who works as a senior guest researcher at the Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, evaluated that there may be a different political calculation behind Listyo's appointment as the Presidential Private Secretary.
Nugroho argued that the importance of the post of private secretary had decreased during the Subianto period, and that Listyo's appointment to this position could be aimed at removing him from the critically important position of Head of the National Police Organization.
Stating that Subianto needed a head of the police department that he could trust, Nugroho claimed that Listyo was not this name.
The analyst also pointed out that Listyo is known for his closeness to former President Joko Widodo.
