Maneh Case Until Teacher Is Fired From School, Ridwan Kamil Does Not Want To Be Called Anti-Criticism Leader

Governor of West Java (Jabar) M Ridwan Kamil. (ANTARA/HO-West Java Regional Government Public Relations)

BANDUNG - The Governor of West Java (West Java) Ridwan Kamil or Kang Emil emphasized that he was not a leader who was anti-criticism, including Muhammad Sabil Fadhilah, a teacher at Telkom Sekar Kemuning Vocational School, Cirebon City, West Java, in the realm of social media.

"I am not anti-criticism, I am open, thousands of criticisms have come in. A leader cannot be anti-criticism, so I did not issue a statement that was anti-criticism," said Governor Ridwan Kamil in Bandung as reported by Antara, Thursday, March 16.

Any criticism or questions from outsiders addressed to him in cyberspace are always answered based on these criticisms or questions.

"If I'm wrong, I answer with data. If I'm joking, I answer jokingly. That there are schools who respond differently, that is the momentum for their regulations," he said.

Therefore, when Muhammad Sabil Fadhilah criticized himself on social media by using the word maneh (Sundanese, which means you, and it is usually used to interlocutors of the maximum age and the context can be impolite), then Ridwan Kamil ordered the school to simply remind him.

"In my opinion, it's enough just to be reminded, not to the point of being dismissed. It's as if for criticizing me, I'm being dismissed. Then I'm considered anti-criticism. I don't think so," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the West Java Provincial Education Office, Wahyu Mijaya, confirmed that there was no order from Governor Ridwan Kamil to dismiss Muhammad Sabil Fadilah as a teacher at Telkom Cirebon Vocational School and Minbauul Ulum Ponpes Vocational School.

"So I can emphasize that there has never been an order from the Governor to dismiss the person concerned," he said.

His party has also confirmed with the Cirebon Service Branch Office (KCD) and ensured that Sabil's Basic Education Data (Dapodik) is still recorded at the West Java Education Office. Wahyu has also conveyed a message that the foundation immediately revokes Sabil's termination letter.

"From the point of view of (Sabil's) statement on Instagram, we have told them not to be dismissed. But whether the person concerned has other problems with the school, we don't know. If it's a problem outside of that, it's not our authority," he said.

Wahyu said that as educators it is appropriate to use good language in the teaching and learning process, daily life, and on social media.

"It is our obligation at the Education Office to always remind educators to use good language in learning and outside because it can be followed by students. Maybe there are other dictions that are better to use," he said.