Reasons for Prabowo's Addition of Deputies in the BNPT
President Prabowo Subianto has added to the number of deputy positions within the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT). BNPT Head Eddy Hartono stated that the structural changes align with the agency’s needs.
The structural adjustment, according to Eddy, is one form of implementing Law No. 5 of 2018 on the Eradication of Terrorism Acts. “To strengthen the BNPT’s institutional framework,” said Eddy when contacted on Monday, 4 May 2026.
The Anti-Terrorism Law regulates the duties and functions of the BNPT. In Article 43H, the law stipulates that the organisational structure of the BNPT is governed by a presidential regulation. After the law was enacted in 2018, the BNPT Presidential Regulation had not been updated, so it still used the old structure governed by the previous regulation, namely Presidential Regulation No. 46 of 2010 on the BNPT.
Prabowo then overhauled the number of BNPT deputies through Presidential Regulation No. 9 of 2026 on the BNPT, which was signed on 9 February 2026. The new structure is outlined in Article 7 of the regulation. It includes the Deputy for National Preparedness and Counter-Radicalisation, Deputy for De-Radicalisation, Deputy for Coordination Among Law Enforcers and Victim Recovery, and Deputy for International Cooperation.
This structure differs from the previous organisation of the BNPT. Previously, the terrorism handling agency had three deputy positions covering the Deputy for Prevention, Protection, and De-Radicalisation; Deputy for Enforcement and Capacity Building; and Deputy for International Cooperation.
Eddy also explained one of the tasks of the new deputy position, namely the Deputy for National Preparedness and Counter-Radicalisation. According to him, the scope of preventing extremism and terrorism includes national preparedness, counter-radicalisation, and de-radicalisation.
“Now, national preparedness, for example, is through community empowerment, then improving public protection facilities and infrastructure, such as vital objects,” stated Eddy.
In addition, he said, the Deputy for National Preparedness and Counter-Radicalisation also plays a role in community empowerment programmes to encourage society to be more active in prevention or in educating about the dangers of exposure to radical terrorist ideologies.
This deputy also performs other functions. Among them, conducting terrorism studies to mapping vulnerable areas. “That is one form of national preparedness,” said Eddy.
The BNPT Presidential Regulation was issued by Prabowo alongside Presidential Regulation No. 8 of 2026 on the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Countering of Violence-Based Extremism Leading to Terrorism for 2026-2029 (Presidential Regulation on RAN PE). That document discusses strategies to address the threat of extremism that has the potential to become terrorism.