President Prabowo Subianto called the director and deputy director of the National Counter‑Terrorism Agency (Bakom) to a closed‑door meeting on Wednesday, urging the agency to develop mechanisms for “containing” public criticism of the government. The summons, reported by detikNews, reflects the president’s growing focus on aligning security institutions with his broader political agenda.
Presidential directive
The meeting was convened shortly after Prabowo’s inauguration in October 2024, a period marked by heightened public scrutiny of his policies on law‑and‑order, economic reform, and human rights. As the first president from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) to assume the nation’s highest office, Prabowo has emphasized a strong stance against terrorism and unrest, positioning Bakom as a key instrument in his security strategy.
Bakom, officially the Badan Penanggulangan Terorisme, is Indonesia’s principal agency for counter‑terrorism operations, intelligence coordination, and radicalisation prevention. While its mandate focuses on violent extremism, the president’s request extends the agency’s remit to include the management of non‑violent public dissent, a move that blurs the line between security and political expression.
According to detikNews, Prabowo instructed the officials to "absorb" or "contain" criticism from the public, urging them to develop a systematic approach for handling dissenting voices. The president’s remarks were framed as a preventive measure to avoid the escalation of social unrest, which he described as a potential threat to national stability.
“We must ensure that criticism from the people is taken in and managed constructively, so it does not destabilise the nation,” the president reportedly told the Bakom leaders.
Implications for civil discourse
Legal scholars and human‑rights observers have noted that directing a counter‑terrorism agency to monitor ordinary political expression could set a precedent for broader surveillance of dissent. Indonesia’s constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and civil‑society groups have previously warned against the politicisation of security agencies.
While the president did not specify particular mechanisms, analysts suggest that Bakom could employ its existing intelligence networks, community‑engagement programs, and online monitoring tools to track and "contain" criticism. Such actions could include issuing warnings, facilitating dialogue, or, in more extreme scenarios, referring cases to law‑enforcement bodies.
International observers are watching the development closely, given Indonesia’s role as the world’s third‑largest democracy and a strategic partner in Southeast Asia. The balance between safeguarding national security and preserving democratic freedoms will likely shape the administration’s domestic legitimacy and its standing with global partners.
The meeting underscores Prabowo’s determination to align security institutions with his political priorities at a time when the new government is still solidifying its authority. How Bakom interprets and implements the president’s directive will be a litmus test for Indonesia’s commitment to both security and the open exchange of ideas.
