Reported To The Prosecutor's Office On Alleged Extortion Of The Surabaya KUA, This Is The Response Of The Head Of Regional Office Of The East Java Ministry Of Religion

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

SURABAYA - LBH Garda Nusantara and the Indonesian Law Student Senate Association (ISMAHI) Surabaya, reported to the Head of the Regional Office (Kanwil) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) East Java, Husnul Maram, to the East Java High Court (Kejati).

He was reported for alleged cases of corruption and illegal levies (extortion) against 31 KUA throughout Surabaya while serving as Head of the Surabaya Ministry of Religion in 2020.

"We strongly suspect that there was extortion that was allegedly carried out by Mr. Husnul Maram while serving as the Surabaya Ministry of Religion. Now, this extortion is included in a criminal act of corruption", said Director of LBH Garda Nusantara, Amirullah Yusuf, met at the East Java Prosecutor's Office, Monday, December 27.

In addition to Maram, Amir, as he is familiarly called, admitted that he also reported Husni, who at that time served as Head of Islamic Guidance at the Ministry of Religion for the City of Surabaya in 2020. Husni acted as the person who signed, regarding the alleged extortion.

"This extortion is carried out through the procurement of electronic fingerprint attendance machines (fingerprint) at 31 Religious Affairs Offices (KUA) throughout Surabaya", he said.

Amir explained that the alleged extortion was carried out against 31KUA ASN throughout Surabaya in 2020 when Husnul Maram served as Head of the Surabaya Ministry of Religion. At that time, the Surabaya Ministry of Religion issued a circular (SE) No. B-748/Kk.13.29.6/Kp.01/06/2020.

In the SE, continued Amir, 31 KUA in Surabaya are required to pay a fingerprint usage fee of IDR 175 thousand per month. Amir continued, the fingerprinting facility should be facilitated by the state and free of charge.

Amir said that the Surabaya Ministry of Religion's policies contradicted the Presidential Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 54 of 2010, and the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia No. 75 of 2021 concerning Goods/Services Procurement Service Units within the Ministry of Religion.

"Well, while the Surabaya Ministry of Religion is actually collaborating with the private sector, namely PT. Innovation Citra Technology. Each KUA is charged a fee and ordered to transfer it to an individual account", he said.

Amir also urged the East Java Prosecutor's Office to take concrete steps with the existence of the extortion case. Amir did not want Husnul Maram, who currently serves as the Head of Regional Office of the East Java Ministry of Religion, to do the same in the East Java region. "If this is true, the evidence is that the Minister of Religion is not observant, insensitive. How can East Java be led by people like this", he said.

Confirming this matter, the Head of Legal Information (Kasipenkum) of the East Java Prosecutor's Office, Fathur Rohman, could not comment yet, because he admitted that he would still check the report.

"I first asked the field that handled it, because until now there has been no incoming information", said Fathur.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Regional Office of the East Java Ministry of Religion, Husnul Maram, was surprised when this was confirmed. In fact, he admitted that he did not know about the reporting of alleged extortion that took his name.

"Sorry, I just found out. Thank you", replied Husnul Maram, briefly when confirmed.