Police Await MUI Instructions On Hakekok Ritual

Illustration of belief ritual in the film Midsommar (Source: IMDB)

JAKARTA - The police have yet to determine the next step regarding the handling of the alleged heretical sect that occurred in Pandeglang, Banten. Although, in that matter 16 people have already been arrested.

"We are still being asked for information regarding the activities (suspected of being heretical)," said Head of Public Relations of Banten Police, Kombes Edy Sumardi, to VOI, Saturday, March 13.

Dozens of people were arrested after performing a ritual called the 'Hakekok' sect at the PT GAL water reservoir in the middle of an oil palm plantation in Karangbolong Village, Thursday, March 11.

In fact, of the dozens of people, three of them are children. The rest, consisting of five women and 8 adult men.

Edy said there was no further step in handling this problem because investigators were still waiting for a decision from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Coordinating Board for Monitoring Community Beliefs (Bakorpakem).

The plan is that this afternoon there will be an agreement between the MUI and religious leaders regarding the ritual. So, later determine the legal process if there is a criminal offense.

"Still waiting for the Fatwa MUI and Bakorpakem," he said.

For information, the ritual is said to aim to cleanse yourself from all sins, and become a better person.

This Hakekok sect was brought by a resident with the initials A. This resident admitted that he was a student of the teaching leader who came from Cibungbulang, Bogor Regency.