Originally written for the Jakarta Globe.
Jakarta. The chairman of the National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN), Djoko Setiadi, claimed the success of the agency depends on co-operation with the public and the government at a press event on Wednesday (07/02).
The agency was established in May 2017, with Setiadi sworn in as chairman on January 3rd, 2018. It is tasked with maintaining a safe and legal online sphere in Indonesia and will report directly to President Joko Widodo.
“The BSSN has the main duty to maintain the stability of the nation. That’s the core function,” Setiadi told reporters, as translated by Lilia Syarif.
He explained that the BSSN will serve as a co-ordinator of the already-established National Intelligence Agency and Strategic Intelligence Agency. Cybercrime is high on its agenda, but it requires support from the government to ensure it can prevent illegal activity.
BSSN Chairman Djoko Setiadi speaking to journalists at the Ayana Midplaza, 07/02/18.
“The BSSN indeed will help in preventing data theft, but it can only be done if people in government trust the BSSN to do this job,” he said.
It will attempt to ensure the upcoming local and presidential election processes will be fair and reliable amid hoaxes and fake news, but Setiadi conceded the BSSN needs the help of the public.
“We realise we cannot work alone. We must come together, unite together, to combat all the bad things happening in society. The next elections will be successful if we work together to combat hoax and fake news,” he said, speaking of the spread of fake news through private messaging apps.
The BSSN will also have the jurisdiction to detect and identify potential points of issue in society at large, led by the agency’s internal Deputy of Identification and Detection.
“We have the technology to monitor problems remotely,” Setiadi said.
“So, the government also has a big interest in this – threats must be tackled as soon as possible for the safety of the nation.”
Anthony Furci 