Dean Of UIN Alauddin Makassar: Suspected Perpetrator Of Harassment Is Not An Employee

Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law, State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin Makassar, Muammar Muhammad Bakry. (DOC. ANTARA)

The Dean of the Faculty of Sharia and Law, State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin Makassar, Muammar Muhammad Bakry confirmed that the man with the initials SS who was suspected of sexually harassing a number of students was not a staff or honorary staff of the campus.

Previously, SS was accused of sexual harassment with the suspicion of sodomizing 10 students since 2016. The mode is pretending to help students prepare a thesis and can take care of good grades from lecturers.

"Through this official statement, I as the dean stated that SS is not a education worker or better known as an honorary worker within UIN Alauddin Makassar," said Muammar in a statement in Makassar, South Sulawesi, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, March 18.

He emphasized that the alleged perpetrators of the abuse were not staff, employees, or honorary staff, but freelancers involved by the faculty in activities through ad hoc or temporary committee Decree (SK).

"We have withdrawn the decree in question because it is temporary and only if necessary to assist in activities. So, there is no basis for it to be respectfully dismissed and or disrespectfully," said the Secretary of the South Sulawesi MUI.

Muammar said that SS is an alumni of FSH who has journalistic and IT capabilities, and sometimes asked for help in making releases related to the publication of each activity. And after the victim reported to the campus KPKE, he as the dean immediately called SS to ask for clarification. At that time SS was dismissed from his duties in order to focus on solving the problem.

He also added that UIN Alauddin Makassar has a Gender and Child Study Center (PSGA) which is always ready to provide assistance to victims if there are indications of sexual harassment or violence.

"As the dean, of course it is very unfortunate if SS does what is suspected. The victim has the right to carry out further proceedings. However, it is also unfortunate, if SS does not do that, then the disgrace is exposed in the media. Of course, it is very damaging to the good name of the institution," he explained.

He hopes that from this matter, he should continue to maintain the principle of presumption of innocence and later after being legally proven, if information is needed, it can be conveyed.