of community members, especially deradicalization partners of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), the agency's head, Mohammed Rycko Amelza Dahniel, stated.
"This program reveals the government's responsibility for creating job opportunities to our partners in the hope of bolstering their welfare," Dahniel noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Sunday.
He made the statement during the groundbreaking ceremony for a smart farm in Turen Nusantara Integrated Zone (KTN), Malang District, East Java Province, on Saturday (January 27).
The launch of the farm in Turen KTN marks the commencement of the transformation of 7,564 meters of land into a vanilla cultivation area by applying the smart farming system.
Dahniel noted that the agency would provide assistance and guidance to the management of Turen KTN to help them boost the effectiveness in managing the land.
He then suggested that BNPT's deradicalization partners involve local residents in managing the smart farm.
"This land should not be exclusive to our deradicalization partners. Local residents need to be involved as well, so they can benefit from this farm," he remarked.
He added that around 60 former terrorist convicts had been empowered in KTNs established in five regions -- Garut, West Java; Malang, East Java; Temanggung, Central Java; Sumba, West Nusa Tenggara; and Morowali, Central Sulawesi.
One of BNPT's deradicalization partners, Pujianto, lauded the agency for the KTN Program, saying that the program has been enabling fellow partners to generate income for their everyday lives.
BNPT devised the KTN Program to address economic problems being experienced by former convicts, particularly those ever jailed for terrorism offences.
The agency has been implementing the program since 2022 to help former terrorism convicts quickly adapt to life in society and prevent them from being dragged back by the influence of radical extremist groups.
Translator: Fath P, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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