TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and the National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) signed an agreement to develop a terrorism threat index. The index will provide information that includes district and municipal levels.

"It will provide a picture and serve as the basics of out monitoring and evaluation in countering terrorism," BPS chief Suharyanto said in Jakarta Tuesday, December 27.

Meanwhile, BNPT chief Comm. Gen. Suhardi Alius said the cooperation is expected to provide significant information to measure the risk of terrorism down to the district level.

"We want to develop an integrated terrorism prevention method that covers everything from the top to bottom," he said.

Suharyanto said Indonesia doesn’t have a survey on terrorism yet, and there a lack of accountable data and facts that can be used to set up a roadmap to counter terrorism.

According to Suharyanto, Indonesia should emulate the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) issued by the Institute for Economic and Peace. The GTI provides a complex explanation about terrorism, from why it happens, the movements, the strategies used, and its impact on the economy.

"In Indonesia, we don’t have an analysis that is as comprehensive as this. We should solve this," he said.

Through the use of data and statistics, the BNPT seeks to dig up the roots of terrorism and take actions to prevent and counter it. The BNPT, he said, will require all information about ideology, economics, political and social as well as cultural background related to the GTI.

"Our friends at the BPS have them, and we can implement those facts with actual circumstances and conditions," Suhardi said.

AHMAD FAIZ