TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Defense Ministry will roll out the 2017 Bela Negara (State Defense) program in Manado, North Sulawesi, that will coincide with the Interfaith, Inter-Ethnicity an Intercultural Tolerance Parade.
"North Sulawesi was selected for the commencement of the State Defense program because the region is the gate to eastern part of Indonesia," Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said at his office in Jakarta on Monday, April 17, 2017.
Ryamizard said that every citizen has is entitled and required to participate in the program in state defense and professionalism contexts.
"Therefore, those who refuse [to participate in the program] may move to other countries. We must defend the state because we live and will die here," Ryamizard added.
Ryamizard revealed that the Defense Ministry will work with the Education and Culture Ministry and the Religious Affairs Ministry to craft the curriculum for the program. According to Ryamizard, the program is expected to produce cadres in a bid to raise an awareness of state defense.
Ryamizard claimed that he had disseminated the program across the country by communicating with regional heads in order to anticipate radicalism.
"I told regional heads to report any suspicious strangers," Ryamizard said.
Ryamizard views that the state defense program will counter threats against the nation. Manado will also host the commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the State Defense Day, which will fall on December 19, 2017.
ARKHELAUS W.
