President Jokowi Tells BNPT Head to Optimize Deradicalization Measures

Police Commissioner General Rycko Amelza after his inauguration as Head of BNPT at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (03/04/2023). (Photo by: Bureau of Public Relations and Protocol of the Cabinet Secretariat/Agung)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on Head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), Police Commissioner General Rycko Amelza Dahniel, to optimize deradialization activities, particularly to those who once faced legal troubles in connection with radicalism and terrorism cases.

“We surely will make any efforts through preventive and persuasive approaches. Indeed, we will prioritize prevention measures,” Rycko said after his inauguration as Head of BNPT, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (03/04).

As a government institution which is in charge of carrying out government’s policies and strategies to mitigate terrorism, BNPT outlines three strategies. To execute those strategies, Head of BNPT emphasized that BNPT will make any efforts to synergize all the powers that exist in related government institutions.

“The first strategy is preparing the national preparedness. Second, implementing counter-radicalization. And third, executing deradicalization. We will do collaboration with institutions, both domestic and foreign, particularly by taking preventive measures, prevention by using approach by heart and prevention by prioritizing efforts in the field of education and prosperity,” he explained.

He added further that apart from prevention, BNPT would also enforce the law as the final resort to mitigate terrorism.

“Law enforcement will be placed as ultimatum remedium, final resort to counter the ideology of terrorism,” he emphasized. (FID/UN) (GA/MUR)