Ayomi Amindoni, Jakarta – Com. Gen. Suhardi Alius has taken the helm of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), inaugurated into the position by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the State Palace on Wednesday.
Suhardi, who was chief secretary of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), will lead the counterterrorism agency to eradicate terrorism and radicalism in Indonesia, succeeding Gen. Tito Karnavian who has been appointed to be the National Police chief.
Previously, Suhardi served as National Police spokesperson from 2012 to 2013, as the Central Java Police chief until late 2013 and as the head of the National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) from 2013 to 2015.
He also made it to the list of candidates to replace the currently retired general Badrodin Haiti, who was then serving as the National Police chief, before Jokowi decided to name Tito his candidate. (dan)