Religious Affairs Minister to Impose Sanction on Civil Servants Involving in Terrorism

Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin responds to reporters’ questions at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (15/5) (Photo: Nia/PR)

Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin admitted that the spouse of Budi Satrio (48), suspected terrorist who was shot dead by the National Police’s Densus 88 antiterror squad in Sidoarjo, on Monday (14/5), is a civil servant of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

“It is true that she is the wife of the suspected terrorist, and we are now coordinating with law enforcement officers,” the Minister told the reporters at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (15/5).

Lukman asserted that the Ministry has learned from this incident. The Ministry will increase its vigilance and ensure that all civil servants along with their families should act accordingly to the pledge and oath they took in the inauguration, and also comply with the Law on Civil Servants.

According to the Minister, compared to other ministries, Ministry of Religious Affairs has the largest working units with 220,000 civil servants.

Considering the number, Ministry of Religious Affairs’s control on every single of their employees is limited. “We have no idea about civil servants’ activities outside the office,” Lukman added.

The Minister promised to be firm and to impose “very strong” sanctions on civil servants who are proven violating the law, oath, and all regulations, particularly the Law on Civil Servants.

For the record, suspected terrorist Budi Satrio (48) was killed by Densus 88 during a raid at a house in Puri Maharani, Sukodono, Malang, East Java, on Monday (14/5).

From that house, the police arrested 5 (five) suspected terrorists and seized several explosive bombs.

Head of Public Relations, Data, and Information of Ministry of Religious Affairs Mastuki on other occasion said that Budi Satrio’s wife has been working as a civil servant for East Java’s Ministry of Religious Affairs since 2003. (RSF/MAY/UN/ES) (RAS/MMB/Naster)