Condemning Pati Case, Kiai Cholil Urges Masyaikh Council to Tighten Monitoring in Pesantren

Deputy Chairman of the MUI, KH Cholil Nafis, has urged the Masyaikh Council under the Ministry of Religious Affairs to tighten monitoring to prevent deviations and recurring sexual violence in pondok pesantren.

This is in response to allegations of molestation against students at Pondok Pesantren Tahfidzul Qur’an Ndolo Kusumo, Pati Regency, Central Java.

Kiai Cholil stressed that cases of deviations and sexual violence in pondok pesantren should not only be processed legally but also serve as a momentum to tighten oversight, particularly by the Masyaikh Council under the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

“We actually request that this be followed up as a preventive step by the relevant institutions on how to supervise educational institutions to intensify the implementation of good education and to be wary of deviations in the organisation of that education,” said Kiai Cholil on Monday (4/5/2026).

Kiai Cholil emphasised the importance of oversight and evaluation by the Masyaikh Council so that the organisation of education, especially in pesantren, can run in accordance with regulations, ethics, and national goals.

Kiai Cholil affirmed that every form of violation, including deviations and sexual violence in pondok pesantren, must be firmly addressed in accordance with applicable law.

The caretaker of Pondok Pesantren Cendekia Amanah in Depok, West Java, stressed that firm action against pesantren committing deviations and sexual violence is necessary to maintain public trust and prevent vigilante actions due to slow and weak law enforcement.

“Personally, and as Deputy Chairman of the MUI, I fully support the enforcement of the law regarding occurrences, suspected or indicated cases of sexual harassment, deviations by the caregiver towards their students and santri,” he asserted.

Furthermore, this CEO of Amanah Zakat called on the public to actively participate in overseeing educational environments and not hesitate to report any indications of deviations and sexual violence.

Kiai Cholil assessed that if oversight of pondok pesantren is strengthened and involves all parties, it can become a safe place in shaping the nation’s future generations.

“And we hope that the public continues to monitor our educational institutions to see if there are any deviations anywhere,” he asserted.