Molestation of Female Students at Pati Pesantren, PDI-P Politician: Lifetime Imprisonment Must Be Enforced

Chair of the PDI-P Faction Group in House Commission VIII, Selly Andriany Gantina, believes that the perpetrator of the alleged molestation of dozens of female students at a pesantren in Tlogowungu, Pati Regency, Central Java, deserves a lifetime prison sentence.

“If there is a word more than ‘barbaric’, I think it is fitting to attribute it to the perpetrator. And whoever is involved, lifetime imprisonment must be imposed on them,” Selly told Kompas.com on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

Selly views the case as a severe slap in the face, not only to the state but also to the world of religious education.

“With dozens of victims who are female students, mostly orphans, this shows a systematic failure in child protection in religious education environments,” Selly explained.

In addition to demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators, Selly also highlighted the slow handling of the case by law enforcement officials.

In fact, reports of the case have been filed since 2024.

According to her, the indifference of law enforcement officials to these reports has betrayed the state.

“Investigate the law enforcement officials who neglected this case as well. If necessary, dismiss them, because they ignored the public. They do not deserve a salary from the state, which comes from taxpayers’ money,” she emphasised.

Selly also urged the government, through the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), and the National Commission on Child Protection, to immediately provide psychosocial support to the victims.

At the same time, Selly pushed for a comprehensive evaluation of the pesantren supervision system by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, particularly through the Directorate General of Pesantren Education that has been established.

“The state must not be slower than the perpetrators. Every report of violence must be acted upon immediately, not waiting for years until the case escalates,” she concluded.

It was previously reported that the alleged molestation case involving dozens of female students at one of the pesantrens in Pati Regency has progressed to the investigation stage.