Rp70bn BSSN Budget Raise; PSI Calls for Transparency over Cyber Security Plan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) criticized the Rp70 billion budget raise for the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) amid rampant cases of hacking and security breaching. With the increase, BSSN's total budget next year will be more than Rp624 billion.

With a budget of this size, PSI asks BSSN to transparently disclose plans for state cyber and password security and resilience programs in 2023, which are worth more than Rp200 billion.

The party's spokesman for IT and digital issues, Sigit Widodo, said that the budget hike should be used optimally to improve the security of electronic systems in Indonesia, especially electronic systems managed by government agencies and state-owned enterprises.

"Don't let this super large budget be used for unnecessary activities or just serving as a project to absorb the budget," Sigit said in a press release, Monday, September 26.

The increase in the BSSN budget was approved by Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Thursday, September 21. The Commission approved the 2023 State Budget allocation for BSSN's definitive ceiling raised to Rp624.37 billion, consisting of Rp407.14 billion for the BSSN management support program and Rp217.22 billion for the cyber and state password security and resilience program.

With such a huge amount of budget, Sigit said, the government must be able to work well to manage the people's money in an optimal and transparent manner.

"We cannot have an increased budget and yet our data is still easy to breach," he said.

HAMDAN CHOLIFUDIN ISMAIL

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