Santri Urged to Report Maladministration

The Indonesian Ombudsman (ORI) has urged santri and pesantren officials to report instances of maladministration in public services within the pesantren environment. Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ombudsman (ORI), Rahmadi Indra Tektona, stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that one of the Ombudsman’s duties as a public service watchdog is to receive and follow up on public complaints. ‘The Ombudsman and pesantren share common values in service delivery according to their respective characteristics,’ Rahmadi said. He explained that pesantren emphasise good manners, aligning with the Ombudsman’s role in overseeing public services to ensure citizens receive quality service. Therefore, Rahmadi stated that the Indonesian Ombudsman and pesantren can collaborate to promote public service standards. He added that pesantren residents need to understand their service rights within the educational environment as public service providers. This was stated during the Indonesian Ombudsman’s meeting with the Central Board of the Indonesian Pesantren Association (DPP IPI) in Jakarta on Tuesday (13 May) to discuss collaboration opportunities. At the meeting, the Indonesian Ombudsman was invited to be a speaker at IPI’s 2026 National Consultation in Surabaya, East Java. ORI member Syafrida Rachmawati Rasahan welcomed the collaboration proposal, noting the Ombudsman is open to working with various parties. ‘We are pleased with the Ombudsman awareness campaign and will discuss it further,’ Syafrida said. She expressed hope that DPP IPI would contribute to resolving pesantren issues that have recently drawn public attention. She added that the collaboration between the Ombudsman and IPI is expected to yield policy input to prevent negative stigmas against pesantren. Meanwhile, DPP IPI Secretary General Hermansyah said pesantren are still working to improve service quality and resolve internal issues. ‘We hope the Indonesian Ombudsman can provide clarity to participants at the national consultation,’ Hermansyah said. (Ant/P-3)