The Ministry Of Home Affairs Asks Local Governments And Apparatus To Be Firm On Troubled Ormas

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto asked local governments (Pemda) to actively coordinate with law enforcement officials in cracking down on community organizations (ormas) that violate the rules.

In a national television station talk show program entitled "Controversy: Ormas Is Getting Hotter" which he participated in virtually from Solok Regency, West Sumatra (29/5), Bima emphasized the importance of the role of regional heads in overseeing the formation and implementation of the Integrated Task Force for Handling Thugs and Ormas under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs (Polkam) Budi Gunawan.

"This task force focuses on thuggery and problematic mass organizations. The focus is on early detection, then early prevention, prosecution, and also law enforcement," Bima said in a statement in Jakarta, Friday.

He explained that the task force has the authority to take firm action against mass organizations that violate the rules. In addition, the regional task force, both at the provincial, district and city levels, can enforce the law if there are serious violations such as physical violence and so on.

According to him, the Ministry of Home Affairs is currently continuing to evaluate and asks the Task Force in the regions to proactively accommodate public complaints related to violations by mass organizations. He did not rule out the possibility of sanctions ranging from administrative, criminal, to disbandment.

However, he stressed that the licensing system for mass organizations is divided into two ministries, namely the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law.

Mass organizations that administratively have a Registered Certificate (SKT) at the Ministry of Home Affairs may be subject to sanctions in the form of revocation of permits if they violate the rules. Meanwhile, for mass organizations registered as legal entities, foundations, or associations in the Ministry of Law, the task force can recommend taking action against the ministry in the form of revocation of legal entity status.

"So what we want to convey is that the legal apparatus already exists, then the rules are clear. Everything is left to be returned to the apparatus at their respective levels," he said.

On the other hand, Bima added, the Ministry of Home Affairs continues to provide guidance and supervision of mass organizations in the regions. This role is carried out by the National Unity and Politics Agency (Kesbangpol) in the regions, in collaboration with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) and law enforcement officials.

In addition, until now several regional heads have taken firm steps in taking action against mass organizations that violate the law.

There is a time to embrace, accommodate, foster, yes. But regional heads also certainly understand very well, there should also be a time when there must also be a law that speaks. There are also times when firmness must also be put forward when the boundaries are too high," concluded Bima.