Prabowo sacks chief of staff Listyo over alleged wiretapping, palace says case may border on ‘treason’

JAKARTA – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has sacked his chief of staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo following the latter’s alleged involvement in a scheme to wiretap the president – a case that the palace has suggested may border on “treason”.State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi told reporters at the presidential palace on Nov 4 that Prabowo had signed a presidential decree dismissing Listyo, a former National Police chief who became Presidential Chief of Staff only on Oct 1.Speaking on Prabowo’s behalf, Prasetyo said the dismissal was a “logical consequence” of Listyo being named a suspect. He added that Prabowo has appointed Lieutenant-General Ariyo Windutomo, head of the Presidential Secretariat, as Acting Chief of Staff.“We are also of the view that what was done may already fall into a category we can regard as acts leading towards treason, and towards acts that endanger the safety of state interests, including the safety of the country’s leaders,” Prasetyo said, using the term “makar” (treason).Under Indonesian law, makar covers attempts on the life or liberty of the president and efforts to overthrow the government, among other things.In a separate press conference in Banda Aceh on Nov 4, Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra also said there are now early indications that the wiretapping could be considered in violation of the Criminal Code’s articles on treason, in contrast to his remarks on Nov 3.“The case is developing day by day, and the investigators will provide more details soon,” Yusril said.Prasetyo told reporters that the President was “deeply concerned”.“That an institution under the President would make such an attempt against the head of state himself is, of course, deeply troubling and, again, deeply worrying for the interests of us all,” he said. The National Police reports directly to the President.Asked whether Prabowo knew on whose behalf the alleged wiretapping had been carried out, or who was behind it, Prasetyo said: “Not in detail yet because that is still being processed by our colleagues in the police.” The findings would be made public in due course, he added.Police said on Nov 3 that Listyo and two two-star police generals, Ahrie Sonta and Eko Hadi Santoso, had allegedly intercepted the phone communications of the President, state officials, politicians, journalists, businesspeople and leaders of civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations between 2025 and 2026.Said Prasetyo: “When we are talking about the head of state and the country’s leaders, there is a lot of highly sensitive information... (which) could endanger the interests and sovereignty of the nation and the state.”It is unclear when Prabowo first learnt of the alleged wiretapping. Prasetyo said National Police chief Suyudi Ario Seto had reported the matter to him.Prabowo had instructed the police chief to handle the case in accordance with the law, “as objectively as possible, without anything being covered up”, Prasetyo said.He sought to reassure the public that wiretapping in Indonesia was governed by laws and regulations, saying there was no need to worry as the alleged acts had been committed by “certain rogue individuals”. Yusril also said that that while the accusations were troubling, there was no need for the public to be unduly worried. “I ask the public to remain calm, as this matter is already being handled by the National Police.”Prasetyo added that the palace had coordinated with the police chief to ensure police services to the public would not be disrupted.Meanwhile, the three suspects have been charged under the Criminal Code and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law with illegal wiretapping, unauthorised access to another person’s computer and unauthorised deletion of electronic information. They are being held at the National Police headquarters’ detention centre in South Jakarta.