Gov’t Issues Circular Prohibiting State Apparatus From Joining Banned Organizations

In a bid to prevent the state civil apparatus (ASN) from radicalism, Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) Tjahjo Kumolo and Head of the State Civil Service Agency (BKN) Bima Haria Wibisana have issued a Joint Circular on Prohibition for ASNs from Affiliating and / or Supporting Banned Organizations and / or Community Organizations whose Legal Entity Status is Revoked.

“This Joint Circular is intended for state civil apparatus to uphold the basic values ​​of allegiance to state ideology Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, the legitimate government, and to maintain their function of state civil apparatus,” the Circular reads.

The issuance of Joint Circular Number 02 of 2021 and Number 02/SE/I of 2021, signed on 25 January 2021, serves as a guideline for Civil Service Officers (PPK) regarding prohibitions, prevention, and actions against state civil apparatus who are affiliated with or support banned organizations or mass organizations without legal basis.

The involvement of ASNs in banned organizations and mass organizations whose legal status has been revoked may lead to negative radicalism among state civil apparatus and government agencies.

For that matter, such things needs to be prevented so that those state civil apparatus can stay focused on performing excellent service to the people.

The circular also stipulates provisions on measures to prohibit and prevent state civil apparatus (from joining those organizations) and to take action as well as the legal basis for imposing disciplinary sentences for those involved.

The PPK prohibition measures include seven aspects, namely being a member or having ties to those organizations, providing direct and indirect support for those organizations, becoming sympathizers of those organizations, engaging in activities carried out by those organizations, using organizational symbols and attributes of those organizations, using various media to express involvement and use of symbols and attributes of those organizations, and doing other actions related to banned organizations and mass organizations that have been revoked.

This circular constitutes a follow-up to a Joint Decree (SKB) on Prohibition of Activities, Use of Symbols and Attributes, and Termination of Activities of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) issued on 30 December 2020.

Previously, in 2019 the Government issued a joint decree signed by eleven ministers and heads of institutions on handling radicalism in the context of strengthening the national vision among state civil apparatus.

The joint decree was aimed at preventing and dealing with acts of radicalism among state civil apparatus and government institutions.

As a follow-up, the Government has created the ASN Complaint Portal (www.aduanasn.id) as a reporting system for violations committed by ASNs, such as having noncompliant behaviors or spreading hate speech.

The portal is open to the public to file complaints about state civil apparatus suspected of being exposed to radicalism, accompanied by evidence.

In September 2020, Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform also launched the ASN No Radical application as a follow-up to the ASN Complaint Portal as an electronic settlement of ASN cases exposed to radicalism by the PPK.

The circular also unveils banned organizations and mass organizations that have their legal status revoked, namely the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), the Jamaah Islamiyah, the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar), Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), and the FPI.

For the record, banned organizations and mass organizations that have their legal status revoked are based on laws and regulations, court decisions and / or government decisions and are declared to be dissolved, suspended and / or prohibited from carrying out activities since they are against Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, carrying out activities related to terrorism, disturbing public order and / or other activities that may pose a threat to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. (Ministry of PANRB PR/ UN) (MUR / EP)