National

Tito Hands Over BNPPDT Leadership to Maruli Simanjuntak

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 19, 2026•3 min read

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian handed over the leadership of BNPPDT to General Maruli Simanjuntak in Jakarta following his appointment by Prabowo.

Key Facts

Menteri Dalam Negeri Muhammad Tito Karnavian menyerahkan jabatan Kepala Badan Nasional Pengelola Perbatasan (BNPP) kepada Jenderal TNI Maruli Simanjuntak di Kantor BNPP, Jakarta, Senin (19/10/2026).
Presiden Prabowo Subianto melantik Maruli sebagai Wakil Panglima TNI merangkap Kepala BNPPDT pada Kamis (15/10/2026) di Istana Negara.
Nomenklatur BNPP berubah menjadi Badan Nasional Pengelola Perbatasan dan Daerah Terpencil (BNPPDT), memperluas cakupan tugas ke daerah terpencil.
Tito berharap pengalaman Maruli membuat pengelolaan perbatasan dan daerah terpencil lebih efektif.
Maruli menyatakan akan melanjutkan program yang berjalan dan meningkatkannya sesuai cakupan baru.
Mandat BNPPDT: kesejahteraan masyarakat perbatasan, penyelesaian konflik perbatasan dengan negara tetangga, dan pengelolaan PLBN sebagai pusat ekonomi baru.

Handover Ceremony at BNPP Jakarta Office

Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian officially handed over the position of Head of the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) to Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) General Maruli Simanjuntak. The official handover ceremony took place at the BNPP Office in Jakarta on Monday (19/10/2026).

This leadership transition follows Maruli's inauguration by President Prabowo Subianto as Deputy Commander of the TNI concurrently serving as Head of the National Border and Remote Areas Management Agency (BNPPDT) at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (15/10/2026). The inauguration marked the transformation of BNPP into BNPPDT.

Tito expressed hope that Maruli's military experience would strengthen the execution of the agency's duties. 'I hope a great deal that under General Maruli, who has extensive experience and still serves as Deputy Commander of the TNI, the duties of BNPP, now expanded to underdeveloped (remote) areas, will be more effective,' Tito said in a statement on Monday.

According to an official statement from BNPPDT, the series of events included the reading of the Presidential Decree, the signing of the handover report, remarks from the Minister of Home Affairs and the Head of BNPPDT, as well as the introduction of BNPPDT officials.

New Nomenclature, Expanded Mandate

The change in nomenclature from BNPP to BNPPDT broadens the scope of the institution's responsibilities. In addition to managing the country's border areas, the institution now oversees the management of remote and underdeveloped regions.

Maruli stated that he will continue ongoing programs while enhancing them in accordance with BNPPDT's new scope. 'We will continue what is already completed and in progress, as well as what needs to be improved,' Maruli said.

Tito noted that he has known Maruli for a long time and that both maintain a good relationship. He assessed that Maruli's dual role as Deputy Commander of the TNI and Head of BNPPDT holds the potential to increase the effectiveness of managing areas under the agency's purview.

Mandate: From Welfare to Border Posts

Tito explained that BNPPDT's primary duty is to develop border areas to deliver welfare and justice to communities in Indonesia's outermost regions. He emphasized the importance of improving the welfare of border residents to strengthen nationalism.

According to Tito, border areas also serve as buffer zones to counter potential infiltration from abroad, across both land and sea routes. In addition, BNPPDT is responsible for resolving border issues with neighboring countries.

The management of State Border Crossing Posts (PLBN) is also part of the institution's mandate, with the objective of turning these facilities into new centers of economic growth in border regions.