Surabaya Govt Probes Possibility of its Staff Joining Gafatar

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Surabaya city government in East Java is looking into the possibility of its employees joining the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar).

Head of the Surabaya National Unity and Community Protection Agency (Bakesbanglinmas) Soemarno said here on Wednesday the agency is trying to gather information about the alleged involvement of the city government's personnel in the movement.

"Right now, I have not received any information about that. But in 2014, several personnel of the city administration joined the Al-Qiyadah movement (which allegedly has evolved into Gafatar)," he said.

The employees were found to have joined Al-Qiyadah in 2014 through the technical executive unit of the Surabaya city government.

"Through the small unit they entered and approached the civil servants. Some of them were interested and later joined it," he said.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated on January 13 that any movement that deviates from the true teachings, such as the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar), must be banned.

"Of course, all movements which deviate from true teachings must be prohibited. The public prosecutor's offices have rules in this regard," he said.

Kalla said he had little knowledge about Gafatar, but if the movement deviates from widely-held beliefs in the community, and is linked to the disappearance of many people, it must be prohibited.

Gafatar was launched at the JIEXPO Building in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on January 21, 2012 in an effort to confirm that the organization led by Mahful M. Tumanurung exists.

The development has since caused public unrest following the disappearance of several people who were believed to have joined the organization.

ANTARA