Why Prabowo Wants to Rename National Narcotics Agency
Prabowo Signals New Name for Indonesia’s Anti-Drug Agency
Kabarsaji.com – President Prabowo Subianto has indicated that Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency, known as BNN, may soon receive a new name: the National Narcotics Mitigation Agency. The proposed change was raised during a government ceremony in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, focused on the transfer of recovered state funds and forest land.
Prabowo introduced the idea while speaking at the Attorney General’s Office, where the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force, or Satgas PKH, handed over Rp13.2 trillion and 259,030 hectares of land. The event brought together the administration’s messages on state asset recovery, law enforcement, and its continuing concern over narcotics circulation.
“BNN is the agency that fights against narcotics, right? Yes, we will improve its name. National Narcotics Mitigation Agency.”
The president did not provide a detailed explanation of why he believes the institution should be renamed. Still, the suggested wording points toward an emphasis on mitigation, a term commonly associated with reducing harm, limiting risks, and strengthening prevention alongside enforcement efforts.
Focus on Drug Networks and High-Risk Areas
In his remarks, Prabowo referred to BNN’s work against narcotics networks and highlighted the existence of areas described as drug villages. He said the issue demonstrates the scale and seriousness of drug distribution challenges in parts of Indonesia.
“Apparently, there are drug villages in Indonesia,”
His comments underscored concern not only about trafficking networks but also about the dangers faced by officers deployed to combat them. Prabowo said personnel have encountered violent resistance while attempting to control narcotics activity.
“When officers enter, they are attacked. Several police officers have died trying to control narcotics,”
The remarks frame narcotics enforcement as a public-safety matter with consequences for communities, police officers, and other officials involved in operations. A new institutional name, if formally adopted, would not by itself explain what operational changes may follow. No specific revisions to BNN’s authority, structure, programs, or enforcement responsibilities were outlined during the ceremony.
For the public, the distinction between “narcotics” and “narcotics mitigation” may appear modest, but agency names can signal how a government wants an institution’s mission to be understood. A mitigation-oriented description may place greater attention on reducing the conditions and impacts associated with drug abuse and trafficking, while enforcement remains central to addressing criminal networks.
Asset Recovery Ceremony at the Attorney General’s Office
The proposal emerged during the eighth-stage handover of recovered forest areas and financial proceeds linked to the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force. The task force transferred Rp13.24 trillion to the state through the Finance Ministry.
Sanitiar Burhanuddin, Deputy Chairperson 1 of the PKH Task Force, described the occasion as a handover involving administrative fines, the recovery of state finances, and forest-area recovery.
“Today, we are handing over the results of the collection of administrative fines and the recovery of state finances, as well as the handover of the recovery of forest areas stage eight,”
The ceremony included a prominent visual display of cash in front of Prabowo. Rp100,000 banknotes were arranged in tall stacks because of the volume involved. The highest pile reached roughly three meters, illustrating the size of the financial handover.
The land component also reflected the broad scope of the government’s forest-area enforcement effort. The stated transfer involved 259,030 hectares, although a related reference to the handover cited 259,230 hectares. The ceremony itself presented the broader effort as part of restoring land and financial assets to state control.
What Remains Unclear
Prabowo’s announcement was an expression of intent rather than a detailed policy rollout. It remains unclear when a renaming process could be completed, whether it would require changes to regulations or legislation, and how the public would see the agency’s mandate altered in practice.
BNN’s existing role has centered on confronting narcotics-related threats, including the exposure and disruption of drug networks. Prabowo’s speech made clear that he views the agency’s work as important, particularly in places where law-enforcement personnel face serious risks. The proposed name change appears intended to sharpen the institution’s identity rather than diminish its anti-narcotics mission.
Any formal transition will likely attract attention because BNN is a recognizable institution in Indonesia’s law-enforcement landscape. The key question will be whether the new name is accompanied by clearer preventive measures, stronger protection for officers, or adjustments to coordination among agencies dealing with narcotics cases.
For now, the president has placed the possible change on the national agenda while linking it to a wider message about government enforcement. His comments combined concern over narcotics activity with an assertion that the state must be able to recover assets, protect officers, and respond firmly to criminal threats.
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