The Failure of Intelligence Integration in Economic Policy: A Study of Indonesia Fuel Policy

Authors

  • Parlindungan Rumahorbo Sekolah Pascasarjana Pembangunan Berkelanjutan, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Muhammad Luthfi Zuhdi Sekolah Pascasarjana Pembangunan Berkelanjutan, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Henny Saptatia Drajati Nugrahani Sekolah Pascasarjana Pembangunan Berkelanjutan, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Ibrahim Kholilul Rohman Sekolah Pascasarjana Pembangunan Berkelanjutan, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55960/jlri.v1402.1133

Keywords:

Asta Gatra, Fuel Price Policy, Intelligence–Policy Gap, National Resilience, Strategic Intelligence

Abstract

Purpose:  To examine the relationship between intelligence analysis and policy formulation during Indonesia's 2022 fuel price increase, identifying factors affecting the integration of intelligence findings into government decisions and their implications for national resilience within the Asta Gatra framework.

Study Design/Methodology/Approach:  A qualitative case study draws on interviews with informants involved in policy formulation and familiar with energy-sector decision-making, supported by relevant official documents. Process tracing and pattern matching were employed to analyse the relationship between intelligence assessments and policy decisions.

Findings: Intelligence assessments were available and disseminated before the fuel price decision but were insufficiently integrated into policy formulation. Contributing factors included divergent policy orientations, selective utilisation of intelligence, and the absence of formal procedures connecting intelligence assessments with decision-making.

Implications: Strengthening institutional mechanisms for integrating intelligence into strategic policymaking requires clearly defined access points, structured coordination, and feedback systems to improve the utilisation of early warnings in government decisions.

Originality/Value: The findings extend the intelligence-policy gap concept by demonstrating how policymakers' preferences and institutional readiness jointly influence intelligence integration. The analysis provides a conceptual basis for improving intelligence-policy coordination, early warning mechanisms, and national resilience across the economic, social, political, and defence and security dimensions of Asta Gatra.

References

Akhmad, A., Asse, A., Nursalam, N., Ibrahim, I., Bunyamin, B., Anssar, A., & Sahajuddin, S. (2023). The impact of the increase of oil fuel price and government subsidy on Indonesia's economic performance. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 13(6), 547-557. https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.15033

Allison, G. T., & Halperin, M. H. (1972). Bureaucratic politics: A paradigm and some policy implications. World Politics, 24, 40-79. https://doi.org/10.2307/2010559

Betts, R. K. (2007). Enemies of intelligence: Knowledge and power in American national security. Columbia University Press.

Brantly, A. F., Keller, W. W., & Jones, S. A. (2016). The decision to attack: Military and intelligence cyber decision-making. University of Georgia Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt189trzw

Campbell, S. H. (2013). Intelligence in the post-Cold War period: Part 2, the impact of technology. The Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies, 20(1).

Canavire Bacarreza, G. J., de Ervin, L., Galeano, J., & Baquero, J. (2023). Understanding the distributional impacts of increases in fuel prices on poverty and inequality in Paraguay. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4354398

Correljé, A., & van der Linde, C. (2006). Energy supply security and geopolitics: A European perspective. Energy Policy, 34(5), 532-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2005.11.008

Eisenfeld, B. (2017). The intelligence dilemma: Proximity and politicization-analysis of external influences. Journal of Strategic Security, 10, 77-96. https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.10.2.1583

Farrell, A. E., Zerriffi, H., & Dowlatabadi, H. (2004). Energy infrastructure and security. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 29.

Herman, M. (2013). Intelligence services in the information age: Theory and practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203479667

Herzog, J. O. (2008). Using economic intelligence to achieve regional security objectives. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/08850600701854201

Hulnick, A. S. (2006). What's wrong with the intelligence cycle. Intelligence and National Security, 21(6), 959-979. https://doi.org/10.1080/02684520601046291

Inderwildi, O., Zhang, C., Wang, X., & Kraft, M. (2020). The impact of intelligent cyber-physical systems on the decarbonization of energy. Energy & Environmental Science, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.1039/c9ee01919g

Irawan, D. D. (2024). Peran intelijen dalam assessment dan evaluasi program deradikalisasi. Jurnal Ketahanan Nasional, 30(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkn.90354

Jervis, R. (2006). The remaking of a unipolar world. The Washington Quarterly, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.1162/wash.2006.29.3.5

Jervis, R. (2010). Why intelligence fails: Lessons from the Iranian Revolution and the Iraq War. Cornell University Press.

Karlilar Pata, S., & Pata, U. K. (2025). Comparing how energy policy uncertainty, geopolitical risk, and R&D investment shapes renewable energy and fossil fuels. Energies, 18(16), 4351. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18164351

Kent, S. (1966). Strategic intelligence for American world policy. Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400879151

Khan, K. (2025). How do supply chain and geopolitical risks threaten energy security? A time and frequency analysis. Energy, 316, 134501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134501

Kuzemko, C., Blondeel, M., Bradshaw, M., Bridge, G., Faigen, E., & Fletcher, L. (2025). Rethinking energy geopolitics: Towards a geopolitical economy of global energy transformation. Geopolitics, 30(2), 531-565. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2024.2351075

Lonsdale, D. (2012). Intelligence reform: Adapting to the changing security environment. Comparative Strategy, 31. https://doi.org/10.1080/01495933.2012.731962

Lowenthal, M. M. (2021). Intelligence: From secrets to policy (8th ed.). CQ Press.

Marrin, S. (2013). Revisiting intelligence and policy: Problems with politicization and receptivity. Intelligence and National Security, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2012.749063

Mengko, D. M., Bhakti, I. N., Samego, I., Yanuarti, S., Siregar, S. N., & Haripin, M. (2016). Intelijen dalam pusaran demokrasi di Indonesia pasca Orde Baru. Jurnal Penelitian Politik, 13(1).

Muthalib, A. A., Adam, P., Rostin, Saenong, Z., & Suriadi, L. O. (2018). The influence of fuel prices and unemployment rate towards the poverty level in Indonesia. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 8(3).

Nabernegg, M., Lange, S., & Kopp, T. (2024). Inflation in Germany: Energy prices, profit shares, and market power in different sectors. International Journal of Political Economy, 53(4), 342-363. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911916.2024.2429312

Rahman, H. (2022). Achieving organizational agility, intelligence, and resilience through information systems. IGI Global.

Schmitz, R., Flachsbarth, F., Plaga, L. S., Braun, M., & Härtel, P. (2025). Energy security and resilience: Revisiting concepts and advancing planning perspectives for transforming integrated energy systems. Energy Policy, 207, 114796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114796

Seiglie, C., Coissard, S., & Échinard, Y. (2008). Economic intelligence and national security. Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, 6. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1572-8323(08)06014-1

Sternberg, R. J. (2019). The Cambridge handbook of intelligence. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108770422

Suharyanto. (2016). Optimalisasi satuan kontra intelijen untuk penanggulangan aksi terorisme. Jurnal Ketahanan Nasional, 17(3), 56-68.

Teitelbaum, L. (2005). The impact of the information revolution on policymakers' use of intelligence analysis. RAND Corporation.

Treverton, G. F. (2009). Intelligence for an age of terror. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808708

Wang, Q., Ren, F., & Li, R. (2024). Geopolitics and energy security: A comprehensive exploration of evolution, collaborations, and future directions. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1071. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03507-2

Widjajanto, A., & Wardhani, A. (2008). Hubungan intelijen-negara 1945-2004.

Wright, J. W. (1991). Intelligence and economic security. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/08850609108435178

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Rumahorbo, P., Zuhdi, M. L., Nugrahani, H. S. D., & Rohman, I. K. (2026). The Failure of Intelligence Integration in Economic Policy: A Study of Indonesia Fuel Policy. Jurnal Lemhannas RI, 14(Issue 2), 121-135. https://doi.org/10.55960/jlri.v1402.1133

Similar Articles

41-50 of 87

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.