Don't think too negatively about 'Pokemon Go'

JAKARTA. Amid a Pokemon Go craze in Indonesia and military speculation regarding how it may be used by foreign countries to spy on Indonesia, National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) governor Let. Gen. (ret) Agus Widjojo has advised people not to think too harshly about the game.

“People shouldn't think too negatively about Pokemon Go; the relevant ministries are currently discussing the matter,” Agus told kompas.com on Monday, adding that the police would definitely handle any issues if there was proof that the game violated the law.

But Agus also called on members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police to not join the Pokemon Go hype as the game had the potential to interfere with their main responsibilities.

The National Intelligence Agency (BIN) has been reportedly studying the game since it is said to require access to players' locations and cameras, raising concerns that it may lead to spying in sensitive areas.

Launched earlier this month, Pokemon Go is an augmented-reality game that uses both a smartphone's GPS and camera. It can be downloaded for free onto Android and iOS devices. Although it has not yet been officially released in Indonesia, the game has been made officially available in 34 countries. (kes)