BIN Head calls for new regulations to combat espionage and foreign intervention

During a national seminar held in Jakarta, the Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), M. Herindra, emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive national regulations to combat espionage and foreign intervention. He noted that current Indonesian legal frameworks are fragmented and insufficient for addressing modern intelligence threats that operate in “gray zones.”

Experts and academics at the forum, organized by the ASEAN Study Center at the University of Indonesia, highlighted that foreign intelligence activities are becoming increasingly complex due to digital technology, influence operations, and opaque funding streams. Intelligence expert Ken Conboy suggested that Indonesia must establish a more structured system for protecting state secrets, including clear protocols for information classification, security clearances, and declassification processes.

Herindra stated that any new regulations must be carefully formulated to prevent the abuse of power while balancing national security interests with the rights and freedoms of citizens. He also called for the simultaneous strengthening of counter-intelligence capabilities to protect national stability.