Commission V Of The House Of Representatives Supports The Arrangement Of Islamic Boarding School Infrastructure After The Al-Khoziny Tragedy

The East Java Regional Police Team installed a police line to process the crime scene (TKP) of the collapsed prayer room building at the Al Khoziny Sidoarjo (ANTARA PHOTO/Umarul Faruq/sgd Islamic Boarding School).

JAKARTA Deputy Chairman of Commission V DPR Syaiful Huda supports the government's steps to organize and standardize the infrastructure of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia.

This follows the tragedy of the collapse of the mosque at the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School, Sidoarjo, East Java, which killed more than 60 students at the end of last September.

"We must no longer allow the development of pesantren infrastructure to take place without adequate standards of feasibility and safety. The state must be present to ensure the safety and comfort of the students who live for a long time in the pesantren environment," said Huda, Monday, October 13.

According to Huda, so far the development of pesantren infrastructure tends to be fully submitted to community initiatives. The government, he said, does not yet have a firm mechanism in ensuring that every development meets the technical requirements and building safety.

So far, many Islamic boarding schools have been independent. They rely on the financial capacity of caregivers and community donations. This is where the state must attend," he said.

In fact, said Huda, the state should have a moral responsibility to help provide decent and safe infrastructure. Especially for Islamic boarding schools that have been around for a long time and have proven to have made a big contribution to national education.

"The students are pillars of education that have printed millions of quality graduates. Therefore, it is appropriate for the state to intervene to ensure that their learning environment meets safety standards," said the PKB legislator.

Therefore, Huda welcomed President Prabowo Subianto's move to assign Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar to organize the development of pesantren infrastructure in the country.

According to him, this step shows the government's seriousness in paying attention to the quality of religious education facilities in Indonesia.

Huda also asked the government to immediately provide real assistance in the rebuilding of the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School. Because according to him, this pesantren is hundreds of years old and produces many superior graduates in the religious and general fields.

"The state is obliged to help so that the continuation of education in Al-Khoziny remains guaranteed," said Huda.

On the other hand, Huda respects the legal process being carried out by the East Java Regional Police regarding the alleged negligence in the incident. However, he requested that law enforcement efforts not hinder the recovery and rebuilding of educational facilities.

"This is a big disaster. The most sad thing is of course the caregiver and the extended family of the pesantren. Therefore, assistance to rebuild the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School must be separated from the ongoing legal process. Our focus is to ensure the safety and future of the students," concluded Huda.