In Action To Defend Kiai Muqit, Hundreds Of Citizens Urged The Regent Of Jember Faida To Openly Apologize

Demo urges Jember Regent Faida to apologize (BETWEEN)

JEMBER - Hundreds of residents who are members of the Jember Community Coalition, Bela Kiai Muqit, have urged Regent Faida and a number of officials suspected of persecuting and intimidating Deputy Regent A. Muqit Arief to apologize publicly.

Protesters who came from various elements of society, santri and residents of Silo District brought a number of posters reading #SaveKiaiMuqit to the Jember Regency Government (Pemkab) office.

"We want the Jember Regent Faida to apologize publicly to Kiai Muqit and we will keep the ulama's spirit from being humiliated," said action coordinator Ikhsan Tafsir quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 22.

The protesters gave Regent Faida a 3 x24 hour time limit to apologize to the Deputy Head of Jember Muqit Arief and if this was not done, the masses threatened to stage a larger demonstration.

"Regent Faida must apologize publicly. If our demands are ignored, then we will come again to the Jember Regency Government Office with a bigger crowd," he said.

The protesters were met directly by the Deputy Head of Jember A. Muqit Arief and tried to calm the crowd, and asked the masses to disperse immediately because it was still a COVID-19 pandemic.

"I thank you for the support of the community, but I ask for enough demonstrations at the Jember Regency Government. Trust us that this problem will be resolved soon," said the vice regent who is usually called Kiai Muqit.

Muqit continued to persuade residents to immediately disperse and adhere to health protocols by using masks and maintaining distance, and immediately taking a shower when they arrived home, but residents remained in front of the Jember Regency Government Office.

Kiai Muqit finally met the protesters again to jointly hold a prayer together led by him, so that the masses finally dispersed in an orderly manner.

"I have asked them not to demonstrate, but the confusing information regarding the explanation of the Regent and the Prosecutor's Office is not the same regarding our meeting there," said Kiai Muqit.

In the meeting, he continued, discussed more about the return of the 2016 Position and Organizational Structure (KSOTK) and the issue of disbursing the budget as part of the discussion.

"If the minutes of the meeting at the Jember Prosecutor's Office are delivered, it will clearly answer the protesters' questions. I have sent a letter asking for the minutes, but they have not been given," he said.

He hopes that at the end of his term of office, he will not look for whose fault, but do his best for the people of Jember, so that the atmosphere remains conducive.

The Regent of Jember, Faida, was confirmed before that he had denied persecuting and intimidating the Deputy Head of Jember because the discussions at the Jember Kejari were only to ask for opinions related to budget disbursement using the 2016 KSOTK.

Previously, Kiai Muqit was suspected of being a victim of persecution and intimidation while attending a meeting with the Regent of Jember Faida and a number of officials together with Kasi Datun Kejari Jember Agus Taufikurrahman.

The Vice Regent of Jember was blamed and accused of committing a crime for the return of the 2016 KSOTK, even though Kiai Muqit carried out the recommendation of the Minister of Home Affairs which Regent Faida had ignored for one year.