The school, based in Indramayu District, West Java, and managed by Panji Gumilang, has lately come under the media spotlight for allegedly spreading heretic teachings that deviate from Islam.
"Their leader had been summoned by the Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, and we should wait for their report. Meanwhile, my duty is to ensure education activities in the school are not suspended and continue," Effendy stated at the coordinating ministry office here on Wednesday.
While acknowledging the recommendation from an investigation team to suspend the institution's permit, the coordinating minister stated that the government would consider all aspects related to proposed actions on the boarding school.
He said that the issue in Al-Zaytun is merely a personal case involving its leader, and the boarding school should remain active in the interest of thousands of its students.
"We must hear the students' parents' concerns because the school has close to five thousand students that should not be neglected. An individual issue should not affect the entire institution," Effendy expounded.
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In concert with Effendy, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin earlier stated that the government decided to not disband or suspend the permit of the boarding school.
"There were indeed many parties who called (the government) to close or disband the boarding school. However, we should also consider a large number of its students," Amin stated.
The vice president remarked that the government had decided to rectify the religious and nationalist teachings imparted to students in the boarding school.
"Perhaps, the alternative from disbanding (the school) is to develop and foster it properly, so the school can continue, and (students) can study with the correct religious values as well as (in accordance) with the system of our nation," the vice president remarked.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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