Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai at the DPR: I am the Only Minister Who Bans Staff from Giving Money

JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister (HAM) Natalius Pigai boasts that he is the only minister who forbids his subordinates from giving him money.

This was said by Pigai during a meeting with Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives which discussed the work program and budget of his ministry at the DPR building, Jakarta, Monday, February 2.

According to Pigai, rejection of corrupt practices is part of the performance of the Ministry of Human Rights.

"There are several things we have done, I don't need to say one by one, but this is enough to see if the Ministry of Human Rights is working," said Pigai.

Pigai revealed that before he led the Human Rights Ministry, the data on incoming complaint services was no more than 100 cases. However, when he took office, there were more than 1,000 complaints from the public related to human rights cases.

"The data that entered the Ministry of Human Rights, the complaint service that entered was no more than 100 cases of complaints. Today, the latest data is 1,372 complaints received from the complaints, 939 complaints we have handled and have recommended to ministries and institutions, 433 are being analyzed," he said.

According to Pigai, this increase in data is proof of public confidence in his agency's performance.

"So this increase in the number of complaints is also a trust in the Ministry of Human Rights, as one of the terminals for complaints for those who need to find justice," said the former human rights activist.

Pigai also guarantees that the Ministry of Human Rights is one of the institutions that strongly rejects the practice of corruption. In fact, he said it was haram if staff gave money to ministers.

"I am the only minister as far as I understand, I forbid the giving of money from staff to me," said Pigai.

This commitment, said Pigai, he has proven for one and a half years he has been a minister in the Government of President Prabowo Subianto.

"It's haram, Pak, it's haram, I'm a Christian, but I use haram because Arabic is God's language. God who created man," he said.

"So I am this in front of all my officials, I am talking, banning staff from giving me money. Therefore, the numbers and others, let the Secretary-General's mother talk," concluded Pigai.