Djoko made the statement at a meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and participants of an Indonesian Private Universities Association (APTISI) national congress at the State Palace here on Tuesday.
"Academics can play an important role in promoting tolerant attitudes among students so that they do not embrace radical ideology," Djoko said, adding that combing radicalism was part of the national agenda.
He said , without a preventive strategy and de-radicalization efforts, terrorism would be hard to fight because it could not be overcome through repressive measures alone.
"Our security is lately disturbed by terror acts, committed by irrational people, and therefore we have to prevent it," the security minister said when accompanying President Yudhoyono to receive the participants of APTISI national congress.
Besides Djoko, the president was also accompanied by Vice President Boediono, National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh, National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa, and Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam.
The national education minister in his address said APTISI comprised 2,980 institutes of higher learning that had a total of 2.8 million students.
Muhammad Nuh said one of the challenges being faced by the association was to make universities engines of prosperity and mold the students` character.
The minister said the universities through the so-called Tri Dharma doctrine , could help make a success of government programs to improve people`s welfare including improvement of the national economy.
Meanwhile, APTISI chairman Prof Suharyadi said the 4th APTISI national congress was participated in by 530 delegtions.
He said over the next four years APTISI would continue to improve its competitiveness in facing the human resources challenge.
Suharyadi said the association had made a number of proposals to the president, among others, the improvement of both state and private universities` quality, and tax relief for private universities.
(Uu.O001/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
