Leak of Indonesian government data, including letters addressed to the president, has pushed him to instruct relevant institutions to immediately coordinate and investigate the case.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed relevant institutions to immediately coordinate and investigate the alleged leak of several data belonging to public figures, including letters addressed to him.

The instruction was delivered by the President while chairing a meeting with a number of cabinet ministers at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

“The meeting discussed data circulated by persons including Bjorka, but after a temporary review, the data were general data, not specific data and not currently updated data," Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said in a press statement after the meeting.

Some of the data are old ones, the minister said, adding that a cross-ministerial/institutional team from the National Cyber ​​and Crypto Agency (BSSN), the Communications and Information Ministry (Kemkominfo), the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (BIN) will coordinate to examine the issue in depth, Johnny said.

To carry out subsequent assessments in order to maintain the public trust, the government will also form a team consisting of various elements including BSSN, Kemkominfo, Polri and BIN, he said.

“There needs to be an emergency response team related to maintaining good governance in Indonesia to maintain the public trust. So there will be an emergency response team from BSSN, Kemkominfo, Polri, and BIN to carry out subsequent assessments," he added.

In addition, the minister will also invite all levels of society to build national strength by working together and maintaining cohesiveness, one of which is in facing the danger in the digital space.

“The danger in the digital space is, of course, digital crime. This is what we must guard together, build work together. Differing opinion is normal in a democracy, respected in a democracy. But when it comes to the interest of the country as a whole, let us maintain cohesiveness," he said.

Johnny further said that the government will continue to discuss the Bill on Personal Data Protection, in the hope that the passing of the bill can become a new legal umbrella to safeguard the digital space in Indonesia.

“The bill has been approved by the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government at the level I meeting. We are now waiting for the schedule for the level II discussion and approval, namely the plenary meeting of the DPR,” he said.

The minister hoped with the passage of the bill into law, there would be a new and better legal umbrella to safeguard the country’s digital space.

Reporting by Indonesia Window