"Defense and security no longer depend on fighter aircraft, battleships, tanks, and other conventional instruments. Nowadays, attacks can be launched in cyberspace, triggering cyber wars," he remarked in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He emphasized that Indonesia truly needs to strengthen the technological and informational capacity of its military to thwart cyber threats launched by foreign actors, such as the spread of false information and hacking of the government's strategic systems.
"A cyber war surfs on information as a tool to shape people's opinions. This means that a cyber war is a war of the mind, which finds its objective in influencing people," he said.
Tjahjanto noted that in actuality, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) had been operating a unit dedicated to cyberspace, but the tasks it is mandated are not far-reaching. He stated that the TNI and Ministry of Defense are currently coordinating to devise a special defense concept that will be instrumental in averting cyberattacks.
Earlier, on Tuesday (September 3), TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto confirmed that President Joko Widodo had instructed his side to start moving to form a cyber military force as the TNI's fourth branch.
The general underlined that the cyber unit would be different from other units in the TNI, as more civilians would be recruited as its personnel based on their skills.
He also said that the TNI had planned to establish a cyber center at its headquarters and in each military branch, adding that the centers would be manned by personnel who are high school and university graduates.
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Translator: Walda M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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