Riots In August 2025 Assessed As Evidence Of The Failure Of The State Intelligence System

Demonstrators witnessed the burning of a car in the courtyard of the Makassar City DPRD Office, Jalan Andi Pangeran Pettarani Makassar, South Sulawesi on Friday (29/8/2025) night. (ANTARA)

The anarchic wave of protests since August 25, 2025 resulted in seven deaths, including an online motorcycle taxi driver, and thousands of people being detained. At least 37 DPRD buildings in various burned areas, public transportation facilities were damaged, and a number of infrastructures were also destroyed.

Secretary of the Founder of Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW), Iskandar Sitorus, assessed that the riots showed the failure of the state intelligence system even though it had been equipped with advanced technological devices.

"Why does this sophisticated tool fail to detect provocateurs? Because the procurement is chaotic and its function is vague, not because the technology is bad, but how to buy it carelessly," said Iskandar in Jakarta, Tuesday, September 2.

He compared the May 1998 riots with current conditions. According to him, in 1998 the authorities still relied on conventional intelligence so that it was difficult to detect provocateurs. However, in the digital era, failure was triggered by governance in the procurement of intelligence equipment that was not transparent.

IAW data shows that from 2017 to 2025, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has repeatedly found irregularities in the procurement of intelligence equipment in various institutions, ranging from the National Police, Ministry of Defense, BSSN, BIN to the Attorney General's Office.

The findings include direct appointments without open tenders, vague specifications, and measurable outputs. The value reaches tens of trillions of rupiah, including surveillance devices such as spyware and digital intrusion systems.

This pattern continues to repeat itself. The term thitual equipment' or intelligence system' is often used as an umbrella to disguise procurement," he said.

IAW assesses that state confidentiality is often used as a shield to cover accountability. In fact, according to Iskandar, state secrets should only protect operational tactics and safety, not remove transparency obligations.

On that basis, IAW urged President Prabowo to fix the governance of the procurement of intelligence technology and asked BPK to form a Substantive Audit Task Force with independent digital forensic experts.

"People's money should finance security and democracy, not buy tools to silence the voices of the people," said Iskandar.