REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said social imbalance, especially the gap between the rich and the poor would generate radicalism.

"Our greatest concern is poverty, lopsidedness among the regions and between the rich and the poor. This is our home work. The welfare is not fairly distributed," Jokowi said addressing the annual Indonesian Military (TNI)leaders' meeting here on Wednesday.

The president pointed to data released by the World Bank saying that 1 percent of the Indonesian families controls 50 percent of the country's wealth.

"We are not against rich people . We want that all of us are rich . But today , some people are 'super rich and other did not even have enough food to eat every day.

This a gap that we have to close through budget policy and implementation in the field. Poverty and social discrepancy is dangerous that could trigger social conflict, separatism , radicalism and terrorism," he said.

Such gap is not found only in Indonesia. Other countries also have discrepancy in welfare but the levels are not the same, he said.

However, the people of Indonesia should be aware of the danger, he said, adding that ISIS (Iraq-Syria Islamic State) and terrorism are ones of the results of social imbalance.

"We must have early detection of the threat . Data collection, guidance, deactivation of radicalism through soft and hard approaches, religious and cultural approaches must continue," he said.

Meanwhile, military chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said poverty and social gap give breeding ground for radicalism, separatism and terrorism.

"Territorial commanders must continue to watch that radicalism, separatism and terrorism must not be allowed to grow," he said.

' On that occasion, President Jokowi accompanied by the military leaders including Nurmantyo and thee chiefs of staff inspected an exhibition of military equipment at the TNI headquarters.

On display included armored vehicles, Leopard Tanks, Marder Tanks , etc.

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