The Ministry of Religion Emphasizes the Hoax Issue of the Government's Acquisition of Mosque Funds

Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Public Communication (HKP) of the Ministry of Religion, Thobib Al Asyhar. ANTARA/HO-Kemenag

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) emphasized that the government had never issued any policies or plans related to the takeover of the management of mosque cash money as the narrative circulating on social media.

"That the information circulating on social media regarding the government's plan to form and manage the mosque's cash account is not true (hoax). The Ministry of Religion has never issued policies or plans related to the takeover of the management of mosque cash funds," said Head of the Public Relations and Public Communication Bureau (HKP) of the Ministry of Religion, Thobib Al Asyhar to Antara, Wednesday, April 22.

Thobib explained that memes and videos circulating on social media that featured the photo of the Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar accompanied by the writing "The establishment of a mosque cash account that will later be managed by the government" is a form of disinformation (hoax).

"This information was deliberately made to create a commotion. Therefore, we emphasize that the Minister of Religion has never spoken about the Mosque Cash Account as the framing of the viral content," said Thobib.

According to him, the management of the mosque's cash remains the authority of each mosque manager. Mosque cash is managed by the Mosque Prosperity Council (DKM) or mosque takmir in accordance with the principle of independence and trust of the congregation.

The Ministry of Religion, he said, continues to encourage the professional, transparent, and accountable management of mosques by DKM or mosque managers, without intervention in the form of government control of funds.

Thobib appealed to the public not to easily believe unverified information, and always check through official government channels.

"Let's always be wise in receiving information. Make sure the truth of each information is only through the official website of the Ministry of Religion and the official social media account of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia," said Thobib.