Depok Police to Send Ramadan Brawl Offenders to Islamic Boarding School Programme

The Depok Metropolitan Police are preparing a short-term Islamic boarding school programme (pondok pesantren kilat) for street brawl perpetrators who engage in violence during Ramadan in the Jakarta satellite city.

Depok Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Abdul Waras said that street brawls are among the key concerns in maintaining public order and security during the month of Ramadan.

“One of our primary concerns is the issue of brawls. One of the follow-up measures we will take is to enrol children involved in brawls into a short-term Islamic boarding school programme,” Abdul told reporters on Wednesday (19 February).

Abdul explained that the pesantren kilat programme is expected to reduce the rate of juvenile delinquency in the Depok area.

“Essentially, we want to reduce the inclination of our young people to engage in brawls, because this is very detrimental. If they persist and are reckless enough to brawl, we will place them in the pesantren kilat programme at the Depok Metropolitan Police,” he said.

On a separate note, Abdul also highlighted firecracker battles and sarong fights that frequently occur during Ramadan. He expressed hope that the public, particularly young people, would engage in more positive activities during the fasting month.

“This is certainly part of our assessment, and our hope is that young people and the community can fill their Ramadan activities with positive pursuits. Firecrackers and such activities are also prohibited under existing regulations and legal frameworks,” he said.

“Our hope is that people also refrain from disturbing others who are carrying out their worship,” Abdul added.