New Agency not Needed for Handling Cyber Crimes: President

Jakarta, (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the government does not need to establish any new institution to deal with the increasing cybercrimes.

"We do not need to establish a new institution to handle cyberspace security, but we can take advantage of and consolidate units in ministries that have cyber security functions," President Jokowi stated at a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

President Jokowi informed that based on the information he had, in 2013, Indonesia had become the second largest target of cybercrimes worldwide.

"In 2014 and 2015, cybercrimes in Indonesia rose dramatically by 389 percent. The majority of attacks were on the e-commerce business sector," disclosed Jokowi.

According to him, the emergence of cybercrime has become a new challenge in terms of the readiness of the government. Since the government wants to develop a national digital economy, the issue assumes added importance.

"In order to deal with cyber security issues, there is no need to form a new institution but we can take advantage of and consolidate units in ministries/state institutions which have cyber security functions," the president suggested.

Arguing in favor of managerial reforms, the president urged that the civil state apparatus (ASN), should be able to provide efficient and effective services.

"Reform of the bureaucracy is a must and it must happen all the way from upstream to downstream," he argued.

He asked the Minister for Empowerment of State Apparatuses and Bureaucratic Reforms, Asman Abnur, to take concrete steps for ushering reforms in the bureaucracy.

"Change the orientation of the bureaucratic work so that it becomes not just about following procedures but about providing results," urged Jokowi.(*)