South Aceh Regent Summoned By Ministry Of Home Affairs After Umrah In The Middle Of Flood

The Regent of South Aceh, Mirwan. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has confirmed that the Regent of South Aceh, Mirwan, will return to Indonesia on Friday, November 7 to undergo an examination by the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

This examination was carried out after Mirwan was found to have traveled to Umrah when the area he led was being hit by floods.

Head of the Ministry of Home Affairs Information Center (Kapuspen), Benni Irwan, said the Minister of Home Affairs had contacted Mirwan directly. The results of the communication show that Mirwan left without permission from the governor or the Minister of Home Affairs.

"He has been called directly by the Minister of Home Affairs. The person concerned admitted that he did not have permission from either the governor or the Ministry of Home Affairs, and stated that he would go home tomorrow," Benni said in an official statement, Saturday.

According to Benni, the Inspectorate General team of the Ministry of Home Affairs has moved to Aceh to wait and start the examination after Mirwan arrived in the country. This examination was carried out to determine whether Mirwan's actions violated procedures and personnel regulations, especially because they were carried out during the disaster emergency status.

The Ministry of Home Affairs regrets Mirwan's decision to leave his area in the midst of a disaster condition. South Aceh Regency is one of the areas affected by floods and landslides due to extreme weather.

"We deeply regret the news that the Regent of South Aceh is carrying out Umrah while the area is still being hit by a disaster," said Benni.

He added that the presence of regional heads is very important in times of emergency, both as decision makers and as a representation of moral support for the affected communities.

In addition, Benni said the Governor of Aceh, Muzakir Manaf, had previously rejected Mirwan's foreign travel application. The refusal was stated in Letter Number 100.1.4.2/18413 dated November 28, 2025, arguing that Aceh was in a hydrometeorological emergency response status, including South Aceh which has also established a disaster emergency status.

The Ministry of Home Affairs hopes that this incident will be an important lesson for other regional heads to prioritize public responsibility, especially in disaster conditions that require quick response and coordination certainty.