BNPT chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian speaks at a working session with the House of Representatives' Commission III that oversees legal affairs, during which he requests a rise in his agency's 2017 budget. (Photo: Antara) Jakatar (VNA) – Indonesia’s National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) requested increasing its 2017 budget by over 50 percent to 826.38 billion Rp (62.5 million USD) to intensify its duties, the Jakarta Post reported.
BNPT chief Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian made the proposal at a working session with the House of Representatives' Commission III overseeing legal affairs, which agreed to seek ways to increase the agency’s budget.
The additional fund aims at maximising the BNPT’s efforts in programmes related to counter-ideology, deradicalisation and intelligence monitoring. The budget will also be channelled into terrorism mitigation programmes it coordinates with the Indonesian Military (TNI), police and other institutions.
The agency has planned to establish a working committee to protect citizens from radicalism, tackle terrorism from abroad, and strengthen law enforcement.
The decision was formed after Indonesia arrested several suspects associated with the January 14 attack, which took place in downtown Jakarta. The bombing and shooting killed three people and injured 26 others; all five shooters were killed on-site.-VNA
