Polda Metro Rejects Roy Suryo's Report About Minister Of Religion Yaqut Exemplifying Dogs Barking While Talking Azan

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya rejected Roy Suryo's report related to the statement of Minister of Religion Yaqut Qoumas who analogized the call to prayer from a loudspeaker by exemplifying the barking of dogs. The reason is that the location of the incident is not in Jakarta.

"This case does not deserve to be examined at the Polda Metro Jaya. The first reason is that it didn't happen at the Polda Metro Jaya," said Roy Suryo to reporters, Thursday, February 24.

Based on coordination with the Polda Metro Jaya, the location when Yaqut Qoumas made the statement was in Pekanbaru. So, Roy Suryo was advised to report the case to the police in Pekanbaru or to the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Police.

"Then after consulting for quite a while on the grounds that the locus was not in the Polda Metro Jaya area, I was advised to report at the locus, which is in Pekanbaru," said Roy.

"The second suggestion is that the Polda Metro Jaya also suggests that it is better to report this to the Criminal Investigation Unit at the National Police Headquarters," he continued.

The police also stated that Yaqut Qoumas' statement did not meet the criminal requirements in Article 156 a. This article contains the matter of criminalizing those who publicly express feelings (or commit acts), which are hostile, abuse or desecrate a religion (which is professed in Indonesia).

"According to consultations with the police, it has not been included in the criminal element in Article 156a," he said.

After hearing these considerations, Roy Suryo also stated that he would reconsider if he had to report the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department. Because, it is estimated that the police will still refuse the report.

"We have to reconsider if we have to report to the Criminal Investigation Unit. Because there are several things that were said earlier, the answer is most likely yes, I can't expect it to be the same," said Roy.

Meanwhile, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was in the spotlight after stating the arrangements regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques.

In his statement he compared if there are Muslims who are in a non-Muslim environment whose neighbors have dogs that must be annoying.

"Suppose our neighbors, left and right, front and back, raise all dogs, for example, barking at the same time, are we disturbed? It means that we must regulate all sounds so they don't become a nuisance," he said during a visit to Pekanbaru, Wednesday, February 23, quoted by Antara.

"Let's imagine, I'm Muslim, I live in a non-Muslim environment, then their house of worship rings the prayer loudly five times a day simultaneously, how does that feel?" he continued.