Edition 20: Senior Government Officials Targeted by Spyware in 2021
A Note from the Editor-in-Chief
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Editor-in-Chief Hirzi, on behalf of the newsletter team Mike, Sharon, and Vincent. 💘
Senior Government Officials Targeted by Spyware in 2021
Source: Forbidden Stories
An exclusive report by Reuters, citing sources from inside the government, revealed that more than a dozen senior Indonesian government and military officials were targeted last year by a spying software designed by the infamous Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group.
Targets include Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, senior military personnel, two diplomats, and advisers for Indonesia’s defense and foreign policy offices. Six individuals told Reuters they were targeted themselves.
NSO Group, the party thought to be responsible for the spyware, came into the limelight in late 2021 through a report called The Pegasus Project.
It revealed how NSO Group helped governments around the world to spy on foreign diplomats, journalists, and human rights activists through its Pegasus software.
The United States subsequently sanctioned NSO Group and several of its subsidiaries after the report alleged that their software had been used to spy on American diplomats in Africa.
Amidst a flurry of cybersecurity leaks troubling Indonesian public institutions, the report only puts more pressure on the state to beef up its cybersecurity capabilities.
But there is also a possibility that the government may have used the Pegasus spyware for its own interests too.
Teguh Aprianto, Director of SAFEnet Indonesia, alleged that Pegasus may have been used in the controversial hacking of activist Ravio Patra in 2020.
The use of Pegasus by Indonesian intelligence services was confirmed by Effendi Muara Sakti Simbolon, a member of Commission I of the People’s Representative Council (DPR), who admitted to the use of the tool by intelligence services for counterterrorism operations.
Multiple spokespersons from the defense, foreign office, and economic affairs ministry all said they were unaware of the hack. Reuters’ inquiries to the government were met with no response.
What Is Up, Indonesia?
🌎 Politics & International Relations
Indonesian Embassy in Iran Warns Citizens to Not Protest: Citing safety concerns, embassy officials told Indonesian nationals not to join rallies protesting the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who became a victim of police brutality after incorrectly using her hijab.
Indonesia Rejects Call to Condemn Xinjiang Genocide at the UN Human Rights Council: Indonesia along with several other Muslim-majority countries that receive investment from China’s Belt and Road Initiative voted against a motion that would’ve condemned China’s treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang.
PSI Nominated Ganjar for the 2024 Elections, Without Telling Him: The Indonesian Solidarity Party has nominated Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as their candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, despite him being not a member of the party and PSI not meeting the threshold to put forward a candidate.
📈 Economics, Business & Technology
International Investors’ Interest in IKN Faltering: Indonesia is having a hard time pulling in private investors to fund the new capital city due to hesitancy over the project. Original plans state that 80% of the funding for the new capital was to come from private and foreign investment.
Xi Jinping Set to Test Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Rail: Chinese President Xi Jinping may be one of the first passengers to ride Southeast Asia's first high-speed rail when the Jakarta-Bandung line begins operations in November.
Local Indie Game Developers Begin to Receive Government Support: Indonesian game developers are eyeing further funding in their quest for a greater role in the booming global gaming industry and are now looking for government support.
🏛️ Society & Culture
Jakarta School Wall Crumbles Due to Flooding: Intense floods in Jakarta this week led a wall section of MTSN 19 Jakarta to collapse. Three students were killed and several others were wounded.
Additional Taxes on Sugary Drinks in 2023: The government inches closer to passing a planned excise tax on all packaged sweetened beverages due to the risk posed towards health and the environment. The tax aims to reduce the consumption of the products.
What We're Reading
While we all still mourn over the tragedy in Kanjuruhan Stadium, and in the midst of growing international scrutiny, the Washington Post did an exclusive analysis of cellphone footage and first hand accounts of the incident to paint a grim picture regarding the role law enforcement played in the disaster
How Police Action in Indonesia Led to a Deadly Crush in the Soccer Stadium: “The review — based on an examination of more than 100 videos and photographs, interviews with 11 witnesses and analyses by crowd control experts and civil rights advocates — reveals how the police’s use of tear gas in response to several hundred fans entering the field caused a huge surge at the southern end of Kanjuruhan Stadium, where survivors say the bulk of the deaths occurred.” - The Washington Post
WIUI Recommends
Source: Bookish Magazine
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki (Book, Baek Sehee)
It was International Mental Health Day yesterday! The book we recommend this week takes the form of a conversation between the author and her psychologist on issues of depression, friendship, love, and satisfaction with life. It popped off in Korea and having been recently translated into English, it’s on the way to becoming a bestseller internationally as well!
~ Editor-in-Chief Hirzi
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