Cak Imin Proposes Hotline for Reporting Sexual Violence in Pesantren

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, or Cak Imin, has suggested establishing a hotline in every district to receive reports of sexual violence occurring in pondok pesantren.

This proposal was made by Cak Imin in response to the case of the molestation of a female student by a rogue kiai at a pondok pesantren in Pati, Central Java.

“I am ready to back up the Ministry of Coordinating for Human Development and Culture, back up the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for one thing: to immediately build an effective hotline. This hotline should not only be at the centre but in each district,” said Cak Imin when met at the BPJamsostek Plaza Office, South Jakarta, on Friday (8/5/2026).

“This is a sign of the iceberg phenomenon that must certainly be guarded against. I have come to the conclusion of an emergency in tackling violence in educational institutions or pesantren,” he stated.

With the numerous cases of harassment in educational institutions, Cak Imin suggested that pesantren provide teaching on orientation to personal rights.

“Before starting pesantren, students must receive orientation on their rights so that they cannot be manipulated. The problem of this happening is due to a lack of awareness of their personal rights,” he said.

“They are naive about the essence of themselves facing education. There must be orientation. I ask local governments to build an ecosystem of socialisation to all students,” he added.

According to him, the case in Pati occurred due to a power imbalance and the use of religious doctrine as a modus operandi to manipulate the victim.

It was previously reported that the Central Java Police succeeded in arresting AS, the kiai designated as a suspect in the alleged molestation of a female student at Pondok Pesantren Ndolo Kusumo, Pati, Central Java.

AS was designated as a suspect since Tuesday (28/4/2026), but immediately became a fugitive after failing to attend an examination summons on Monday (4/5/2026).

The police had suspected AS of fleeing outside Central Java, but he was finally arrested in Wonogiri Regency.