Regarding The Gumilang Panji Case, Mahfud MD: The Police Are Fast At Work

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD at the Jakarta Presidential Palace. (doc. Setkab)

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD assessed that the National Police was working carefully on the Panji Gumilang case so that the head of the Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding School was named a suspect in alleged blasphemy.

"Regarding the determination of the suspect Panji Gumilang, I have said that, it is only a matter of time. The police are already working quickly, but people always ask when and when," Mahfud said at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Office, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 2, was confiscated by Antara.

He considered that the National Police was careful in processing the case because they helped summon experts such as criminal law, religion, technology, language. In fact, according to him, the National Police involved a forensic laboratory to test Panji's statement whether it was genuine or edited.

"From there, he was called, he didn't come, right, people shouldn't be forced to not come before. Just arrived yesterday, he was immediately named a suspect," he said.

The Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police on Wednesday morning at 02.00 WIB officially detained Panji Gumilang as a suspect in the alleged blasphemy case.

"After being named a brother of PG (Panji Gumilang) as a suspect on August 1, 2023, investigators have examined PG's brother as a suspect," said Head of the Public Information Bureau (Karopenmas) of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Headquarters Brigadier General Pol. Ahmad Ramadhan.

He explained that Panji's detention was effective for 20 days from August 2, 2023 to August 21, 2023.

"Detention at the Bareskrim Detention Center for 20 days until August 21, 2023," said Ramadhan.

The police charged Panji Gumilang with multiple articles, namely Article 14 paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations which carries a penalty of 10 years in prison.

Then, Article 45 a paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 28 paragraph (2) of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) which carries a penalty of 6 years in prison, plus Article 156 a of the Criminal Code which carries a threat of 5 years in prison.

Regarding Panji's detention, Mahfud explained that there were several reasons a suspect was detained by law enforcement.

First, the threat of a minimum sentence of 5 years. Second, according to him, it is feared that the suspect will not want to cooperate as if he did not come when summoned for various reasons.

"Thirdly, if investigators are worried that if they come home, they will lose evidence and change the situation of the crime scene, the crime scene, it can be detained. Then it is feared that they will repeat their actions, if they are worried about repeating their actions again if their actions are sustainable," he said.

On the same occasion, Mahfud also conveyed the continuation of teaching and learning activities from Al Zaytun. He said the government ensured that teaching and learning activities at Al Zaytun Islamic Boarding Schools would continue.

The reason is, Mahfud explained that Al Zaytun as an educational institution has no problems and is related to the legal process of Panji Gumilang so that the government decides to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning activities there because it is the constitutional rights of the students and students.

"Maybe within 1 day I will immediately hold a meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, the Minister of Religion, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Law and Human Rights and the Governor of West Java to coordinate for handling it so that education can run properly," said Mahfud.