$ITMSF As I anticipated there is a move of the date of notice intention to award to July 4th. There is a lot going on in the background here when there likely shouldn’t be if it were a normal process without all the data sovereignty issues. Very embarrassing process for BIG in my opinion. Especially if they do all this show just to award it to ITMSF. They should have got it right the first time and failed any company that didn’t meet the requirements of IFSAR sensor and platform to fly it on. ( as stipulated in the RFP) If they did indeed rate a satellite SAR and airborne LiDAR mix so highly, they scored it wrong from the beginning. As a side note for you all copying and pasting AI trash, be wary that those LLMs are sycophants that will soothe your confirmation bias and tell you what you want to hear. It has been so wrong throughout this process but is made to sound confident. It just adds to the noise.
$ITMSF All eyes will be on tonight to see if any news emerges. One positive outcome, regardless of the procurement process, is that BIG should ultimately receive a modern map that visitors can use to navigate the campus. Right now, driving through the complex and finding the correct building can be confusing. Hopefully everyone gets a good night's sleep as we wait to see what tomorrow brings.
$ITMSF SCL Taktika's role is to act as the loud, aggressive counterweight that ensures the multi-million dollar delays and foreign data processing protocols can no longer stay buried in bureaucratic silence.
$ITMSF Are They Reputable?
It depends on how you define the term:
As Technical Cartographers? No. They are not independent geospatial experts or mapping scientists. You won't find them publishing peer-reviewed research on Synthetic Aperture Radar.
As Political Watchdogs? Yes, they have teeth. When they publish an analysis like this, it is usually backed by real, leaked, or closely monitored internal data from within the Indonesian ministries or the House of Representatives (DPR). They know exactly how the Indonesian bureaucracy works, and they know which buttons to push—like data sovereignty and national security—to force a public reckoning or a regulatory audit.
The Bottom Line
They aren't writing "clickbait" for casual readers; they are writing targeted critiques designed to pressure state agencies like BIG (the Geospatial Information Agency) and national security bodies like BSSN.
While Intermap may frame the project's friction as standard "administrative reviews," SCL
$ITMSF When you dig into who is actually driving this specific critique, you find that Iqbal Themi and SCL Taktika fall into a very specific category: they aren't casual "flash in the pan" bloggers, but they are heavily political operators who act as strategic, public-facing whistleblowers rather than neutral academic researchers.
Here is a breakdown of their reputation and how to read their play:
Who They Are
SCL Taktika operates as a political and public policy think tank/consultancy based in Indonesia. They specialize in monitoring state-funded infrastructure, national defense procurement, and government transparency.
Iqbal Themi, as the Executive Director, acts as a prominent public policy observer. He frequently pops up in Indonesian media outlets (and politically leaning talk shows/podcasts like Aktual) to heavily critique state agency oversight, regional elections, and massive procurement contracts.
Are They Reputable?
From GEMINI
$ITMSF Someone planted these articles. The question is whether they’re providing cover for a Shaanxi award, or setting up a sovereignty challenge that ultimately works against any foreign bidder without embedded Indonesian operations.
Both articles are sourced from a single political commentator (Iqbal Themi, SCL Taktika) — alleging Phase 1 IFSAR data was processed in Denver rather than Indonesia, the project was three months late with a Rp 20B penalty, and local content was minimal. He’s calling for Parliament, the State Audit Board, and the National Cyber Agency to investigate.
The timing — two business days before the June 26 NOIA — is not coincidental. This is a coordinated political operation designed to influence the award decision. The question is: in whose favor?
$ITMSF is anyone aware of a potential fine that was imposed of just over 1 million usd for delays related to the 2024 project for alleged delays of 3 months?
