National security threats in the modern era have now undergone a paradigm shift. Instead of conventional military invasion, the stability of a country is now more vulnerable to being disrupted by hybrid warfare strategies that target non-military sectors. This was conveyed by political analyst and senior journalist, Dr. Selamat Ginting, in a seminar at the National University, Jakarta, Tuesday (7/7/2026).
Ginting explained that hybrid warfare strategies exploit loopholes in economic aspects, disinformation, to elite conflicts to weaken state sovereignty from within. According to him, the ultimate goal of this method is not physical destruction, but rather the erosion of government legitimacy and the loss of public trust in state institutions. If the public no longer believes, then the opposing side has won the battle without having to deploy a single troop.
Furthermore, he highlighted that domestic stability, which is influenced by the dynamics of the government's political coalition, is a crucial variable. Although a large coalition provides short-term stability, the competition of interests among political elites ahead of the upcoming election remains a challenge that must be managed wisely so as not to be exploited by external geopolitical pressures.
From a defense perspective, Ginting emphasized that strengthening the military through the modernization of defense equipment (alutsista) alone is not enough. Indonesia needs a more comprehensive foundation of resilience, including economic independence, capable cybersecurity, and the effectiveness of transparent and adaptive public communication in the digital era.
In closing, he emphasized the need for cross-sector synergy, starting from the government, academics, to all elements of society. Building effective communication between policymakers and citizens is considered the key to dampening the impact of disinformation and maintaining public trust as the main bastion of national defense amid global uncertainty.
