Ministry of Religious Affairs denies Nasaruddin Umar resigned as Minister

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has denied reports that Nasaruddin Umar has resigned from his position as Minister of Religious Affairs, following messages circulating on instant messaging platforms and social media.

Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Public Communication at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Thobib Al Asyhar, confirmed that the reports were untrue.

“That is a hoax. It is not true that Prof. Nasaruddin Umar has resigned from his position as Minister of Religious Affairs,” Thobib said when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The resignation rumour spread widely after an online media outlet reported that the Minister of Religious Affairs had stepped down.

The report claimed the information came from a source within the government, but the informant was not named.

It also stated that Nasaruddin Umar had resigned and had already submitted his letter to the palace.

“The minister never conveyed such a thing. The source cited is unclear. So the report is a hoax,” Thobib said.

The minister was also said to have resigned because he intended to contest the election for chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board at the 35th NU Congress in Jombang.