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Gov't told to establish domestic security ministry

Source
Jakarta Globe - December 31, 2021

Jakarta – The government needs to add a new portfolio in the cabinet to deal exclusively with domestic security issues, a respected think-tank group said on Friday.

Indonesia is lacking a high-ranking government agency commissioned to identify challenges and formulate policies concerning domestic security, according to the National Resilience Institute, or Lemhanas, a government policy think-tank that directly reports to the president.

"The vacuum in the domestic security policy-making process requires the establishment of a political agency at the ministerial level with a mandate to formulate national security policies," Lemhanas Chairman Agus Widjojo said at a news conference in Jakarta.

Agus said domestic security challenges are complex issues beyond the capacity of a single agency alone.

"For instance, while the National Police have been doing a great job in counterterrorism measures, we need inter-agency works in the deradicalization programs," Agus said.

Such programs need support from the Finance Ministry to allocate the funding and the Religious Affairs Ministry to implement in religious schools, he added.

Agus also proposed the establishment of the National Security Council to lead inter-ministerial coordination and collaboration on the handling of domestic security issues.

This role is currently played by the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs.

In addition to the National Police, the country's domestic security community also includes the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT).

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/govt-told-to-establish-domestic-security-ministr

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