WNAM REPORT: President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) handed over the plan to form the Indonesian Military (TNI) Cyber Force to the next government, which will be led by President-elect Prabowo Subianto.
“I think all countries will go in that direction (to form a cyber force). However, let the new government to plan it,” Widodo said at the Presidential Palace in national capital city (IKN) Nusantara on Thursday.
According to him, a military cyber force is important since other countries have begun to plan and set up their cyber forces.
“It is very good, and I see other countries have already started; four countries have developed their fourth branch, the cyber force,” he pointed out.
On a separate occasion, Chief of the Army Staff, General Maruli Simanjuntak, said there is a possibility that civilians would be recruited for the cyber force.
“I think it is too late for the military (personnel) to learn (cyber skills) now, so, there will be experts that will receive titular titles,” he informed.
The development of the cyber military force will continue under Prabowo’s upcoming presidency, Simanjuntak confirmed at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The establishment of the military force is inevitable, and more countries have set up similar branches, he noted.
“Cyberthreats have now become a global phenomenon, as showed in our past vulnerabilities in data and cybersecurity,” Simanjuntak said.
The chief of staff also highlighted the need for collaboration with other stakeholders, including the Defense Ministry and the Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo), to develop the cyber military force and determine the responsibility of each agency to bolster national cybersecurity.
