They want a replacement for the acting chief of Catholic Community Guidance unit accused of anomalies and violating rules
Albertus Magnus Adiyarto Sumardjono, the acting chief of the Directorate General of the Catholic Community Guidance under Indonesia’s Religious Affairs ministry is accused of anomalies and violation of rules. (Photo: Ministry of Religious Affairs)
Indonesian Catholic groups have sought the appointment of a permanent head in the federal religious affairs ministry to oversee issues concerning Catholics in the country.
Groups representing Catholic women, students, youths, and scholars have written to President Joko Widodo on Jan. 8 seeking his immediate intervention in the matter.
The letter pointed to the controversy surrounding Albertus Magnus Adiyarto Sumardjono, the acting chief of the Directorate General of the Catholic Community Guidance, who is accused of committing irregularities and flouting rules by his subordinates.
Adiyarto’s appointment violates rules for civil servants, the groups said, as more than a year had passed since he became the acting head in December 2021. Rules allow only six months and ministries cannot assign acting officials for a long term, the letter said.
The groups urged Widodo to instruct Minister of Religion Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to carry out a selection process and appoint a permanent head of the office, someone who has “integrity, competence, professionalism, and acts for the common interests of Catholics.”
The directorate general is a unit in the ministry to manage affairs of state-recognized religions and coordinate with religious representatives or organizations such as the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, besides overseeing faith-based schools, including seminaries and pastoral high schools.
The groups said the absence of a permanent head was detrimental to Catholic interests because an acting official “is not authorized to make strategic decisions and [take] actions that impact changes in the legal status of an organization, staffing, and budgetary allocations.”
Catholics have a number of grievances against Adiyarto’s performance and call it “far from the expectations of Indonesia’s Catholic community.” They also pointed out his “arrogant” behavior.
An official at the ministry told UCA News on Jan. 9 that complaints against the acting official were an open secret among them.
Former Director General Yohanes Bayu Samodro enjoyed a good rapport with the Catholics but was fired by the minister in 2021.
“Samodro who was supported by the Catholic Church hierarchy was dismissed on made-up charges. We suspect that he was dismissed for not following the orders of his superiors,” an official source said.
Father Paulus Christian Siswantoko, executive secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, declined to comment on the matter.
Allegations of bribery for positions at the ministry are not new.
In 2020, Muhammad Muafaq Wirahadi, the head of the regional office of the ministry in Gresik district, East Java province was convicted of paying a bribe for attaining the post.
The then minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin was accused of accepting the bribe but claimed innocence and was acquitted.
Former minister Suryadharma Ali was jailed in 2014 for mismanaging hajj pilgrimage funds in 2010 and 2013 and for misusing ministerial funds for his own personal benefits.
Minister Qoumas could not be reached for comment.
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