PDIP Legislator Demands Safety of Santri Be Prioritised in Lombok Burning Case

Jakarta – Member of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives from the PDIP faction, Selly Andriany Gantina, has urged a thorough investigation into the burning of three santri at the Rosudatussaulatiyah Al Ibrahimy Islamic boarding school in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Selly Gantina pressed the police to immediately investigate and uncover the cause of this incident, especially as allegations of intervention by certain parties attempting to obstruct the case have begun to surface. “If there are no vested interests, it should be revealed quickly. Do not lie to the public,” Selly Gantina said in a written statement on Thursday.

In recent days, viral videos have emerged on social media showing how the three students suffered serious burns and lay weak while receiving treatment at the hospital. Additionally, another viral video appeared showing them being intimidated while heading to a podcast with Denny Sumargo at the airport, with preliminary suspicions pointing to members of the West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police. Responding to this, Selly emphasised that the safety of the child victims must be the top priority. She also demanded that the case be disclosed to the public and not covered up.

She then highlighted the slow progress of the case since the report was filed at the end of 2025, which has impacted the victims’ recovery, including alleged bullying by senior students as described in the victims’ statements. “This is a concern, how this process has taken so long, and the rights of the victims, who are children, have not been fulfilled,” she said. Quoting House Speaker Puan Maharani, who strongly condemned any form of bullying, the former acting regent of Cirebon expressed hope that law enforcement officials would act objectively and not betray their oath of office or violate the code of ethics. “Do not let this create a negative perception and erode public trust in both law enforcement and religious educational institutions,” she concluded.