September 1, 2026 | 01:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia may need a dedicated law to counter espionage and foreign interference as threats to national security increasingly take less visible forms, including through cyberspace, an intelligence and strategic affairs analyst said.
Muhammad Arbani said technological advances have expanded the ways espionage can be conducted beyond conventional methods, including through channels such as foreign student exchange programs, making clear legal boundaries necessary.
“An espionage and foreign interference law is actually something new. We have never had such a law. This is dangerous because espionage can now be conducted covertly,” Arbani said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Why Is an Espionage Law Being Proposed?
Arbani said foreign interference could target various sectors, including politics, the economy, history and culture. In the economic sector, he cited pressure such as embargoes that could affect national economic conditions.
He also identified cyberspace as a new area of concern, saying it can be used for influence operations, disinformation, post-truth narratives and propaganda as part of hybrid warfare.
“An espionage and foreign interference law is urgently needed to prevent such activities. This also applies to cyberspace, where foreign interference can enter,” he said.
Indonesia already has regulations covering intelligence, information security, personal data and cyber activities. Does Indonesia Need a Dedicated Espionage Law?However, Arbani said these rules have different areas of focus and do not form a comprehensive legal framework specifically addressing foreign espionage, foreign interference, influence operations and cyber-espionage.
He said a dedicated law could establish clear definitions of prohibited activities and provide a legal basis for criminal penalties when espionage threatens national security.
What Would the Law Cover?
Arbani said the proposed law should not focus solely on catching spies. It should also regulate the illegal collection of strategic information, agent recruitment, relationships with foreign principals, influence operations and technology-based espionage.
“The law should become a legal framework governing the definition of espionage and foreign interference, relationships with foreign principals, illegal collection of strategic information, agent recruitment, influence operations and digital espionage,” he said.
At the same time, Arbani stressed that any regulation must protect democracy, civil liberties, journalism and legitimate academic activities to prevent it from becoming a tool for suppressing criticism.
“Strengthening the legal framework must maintain a balance between national security, democracy and citizens’ rights,” he said.
What Does BIN Say?
National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Gen. (Ret.) Muhammad Herindra has also emphasized the need to strengthen Indonesia’s legal framework to address espionage and foreign interference amid growing geopolitical competition.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Sovereignty on the Front Line: National Policy on Countering Espionage and Foreign Interference,” organized by the ASEAN Study Center at the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Herindra said espionage and foreign interference are realities that Indonesia must take seriously.
He said some such activities operate in a “gray area,” making them difficult to address through conventional legal instruments.
Herindra said Indonesia needs clear regulations to strengthen protections for its strategic national interests. He also said the proposed law should be studied comprehensively while maintaining a balance between state security, democracy and civil liberties.
He further called for stronger counterintelligence capabilities and coordination among government agencies to detect foreign influence that could threaten national sovereignty and citizens’ safety.
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