The Jakarta Post

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

President Prabowo sacks chief of staff Listyo for alleged wiretapping

Listyo Sigit Prabowo was among three serving police officers detained and accused of illegally tapping phones of the president, journalists, politicians, business people and more from 2025 to this year.

Reuters
Jakarta
Wed, November 4, 2026

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
After the storm: President Prabowo Subianto (right) speaks with National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo after visiting injured police officers at the National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, Jakarta, on Sept. 1, 2025. President Prabowo visits officers who are wounded during clashes at a protest in Jakarta and instructs the police chief to grant them extraordinary promotions. After the storm: President Prabowo Subianto (right) speaks with National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo after visiting injured police officers at the National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, Jakarta, on Sept. 1, 2025. President Prabowo visits officers who are wounded during clashes at a protest in Jakarta and instructs the police chief to grant them extraordinary promotions. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)

P

resident Prabowo Subianto sacked his chief of staff on Wednesday for what his office said could be treason, a day after his arrest with two top police officers on suspicion of wiretapping the president, cabinet ministers and others. 

Listyo Sigit Prabowo was among three serving police officers detained and accused of illegally tapping phones of the president, journalists, politicians, business people and more from 2025 to this year.

Listyo had been national police chief for five years before he became the president's chief of staff last month. 

"This was, of course, carried out by certain rogue individuals, and we are also of the view that what was done may already fall into a category that can be considered an act tending toward treason," presidential spokesperson, Prasetyo Hadi, told reporters in announcing the sacking. 

"It also tends toward acts that endanger state interests and the safety of the nation's leadership, including the safety of the head of state," he said.

Listyo has not commented publicly on the allegations.

The Jakarta Post - Newsletter Icon

Morning Brief

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.

Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly, this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues, covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

Prasetyo said Wednesday said the motive was not yet known.

"When we talk about the head of state... there is a great deal of information there that is naturally very sensitive, which could endanger... the interests and the strength of the nation and the state," he said.

Prasetyo added that President Prabowo had expressed his "profound concern" about the revelations.

The scandal has come with pressure also growing on Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of Prabowo's predecessor and political rival Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Jokowi''s party is a member of the ruling coalition, and his popularity is widely seen to have helped Prabowo to the top job, with Gibran by his side.

This year, opponents went to the Constitutional Court seeking to unseat Gibran, claiming there was no proof he graduated high school -- a requirement for the vice presidency.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.