Dissolution of HTI through long-term assessment: President Jokowi

The dissolution of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) has been carried out through long assessment and observation by the government, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated.

"The government has studied for a long time and has also received inputs from all elements of society such as scholars, clerics, academics, and community," Jokowi said here on Wednesday.

Jokowi was attending the 10th partys national working meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Regency Administrations Association (Apkasi) at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).

He affirmed that the assessment, through the long process, had also accommodated inputs from various related elements.

The government earlier cancelled the legal status of HTI, an Islamic organization seeking to establish caliphate administration in the country.

Freddy Harris, the Director General of General Law Administration of the Law and Human Right Ministry, read out the announcement at the office of the Immigration Directorate General here on Wednesday.

Harris stated that the Law and Human Right Ministry has the legal authority to validate associations or mass organizations.

Under public institution administration, mass organizations meeting the requirements and following the administrative procedure would be given a legal status (SK) as a corporate body, he said.

On the contrary, associations/mass organizations failing to meet the administrative requirements would not be given the SK, he remarked.

The cancellation of the SK of HTI followed the issuance of the government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) No 2 of 2017, he said.

He noted that the decision to revoke the SK by the government was effective from July 19, adding that the government regulates measures and sanctions against mass organizations through the Perppu No. 2 of 2017.

Firm measures would be taken against mass organizations committing activities not in line with the state ideology Pancasila and the law on the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

The government said that the revocation of the SK of HTI was not a unilateral decision but was the result of synergy between related agencies in the fields of politics, law and security, Freddy said.

Harris remarked that the government guarantees freedom to associate and to express opinions, but the associations /mass organization have to comply with the law regulations.

"They must not contradict the state ideology and law," he said.

He revealed that under the Perppu No 2 of 2017, the government has the obligation not only to develop association/mass organizations but also to facilitate reports from the people in the event of indications of association/mass organizations deviating from the state ideology and law.

Harris said HTI has been against Pancasila and NKRI in its activities although it includes Pancasila and NKRI in its statute (AD/ART).

"They acted contrary to their own AD/ART," he noted.

Those having objection to the decision could use legal channels, he concluded.
(Uu.A063/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)   Source: ANTARA