"According to several studies, including one conducted by the BNPT, the score of our society's tolerance has been going up," deputy for prevention, protection, and deradicalization at the BNPT, Roedy Widodo, said in Padang, West Sumatra, on Friday.
He highlighted that Indonesia witnessed zero terror acts last year owing to the penta-helix collaboration fostered between the BNPT and relevant stakeholders.
"We would like to thank the police, particularly its Densus 88 (anti-terror squad Special Detachment 88), for executing optimal preventive measures. Law No. 5 of 2018 has deterred people from committing an act of terror," he added.
He said that BNPT has declared all 36 ex-terrorism convicts in West Sumatra free from the influence of radical and violent beliefs.
He then expressed the hope that the BNPT-guided West Sumatran ambassadors of peace would play an active role in shielding people, especially youths, from terror ideologies.
"Ambassadors of peace should take part in ensuring that West Sumatra is safe, peaceful, and comfortable," he said while speaking to young West Sumatrans selected as ambassadors of peace.
He added that ambassadors of peace are not tasked with combating terrorists, but countering the beliefs that terrorists try to spread in society.
"So, your task is to counter and identify such beliefs by making use of your expertise," he told the ambassadors.
He also appealed to the ambassadors of peace to continue making innovations to promote anti-radicalism narratives, both in real life and digital space.
As for the BNPT, he said that the agency is mainly tasked with neutralizing terrorist groups, as mandated by Law No. 5 of 2018 concerning Terror Prevention and Deradicalization.
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Translator: Muhammad Z, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Atman Ahdiat
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