Adam Prireza, Jakarta – The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) chairman of Sobri Lubis claimed that his side had obtained a recommendation letter from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and so he did no longer need to renew the organization permit at Home Affairs Ministry.

According to Sobri, the recommendation was obtained from the Religious Affairs Minister before the cabinet change. Thus, he stressed that there was no problem regarding the legality of his organization permit which lasted from June 20, 2014, to June 20, 2019.

"All has been cleared. We have obtained the recommendation from the Ministry of Religious Affairs," said Sobri after a press conference at the FPI Central Executive Board office, Petamburan, Central Jakarta, on Monday, November 11.

General-Secretary Munarman seconded Sobri's statement, underlining that his organization did not need to manage a permit since the nomenclature related to the matter did not exist in the regulations on the mass organization.

However, Munarman admitted that the ministry's recommendation did not extend the FPI permit. "Based on our law, backed by Constitutional Court's verdict, a mass organization is not obliged to register (or possess a permit)," he said.

Tempo investigated that the existence of mass organization was regulated in the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 2/2017, while the registration procedure of mass organizations was noted in Home Affairs Ministerial regulation No. 57/2017.

The regulation stipulated the steps of the registration and management of the information systems of mass organizations, both legal and non-legal entities. The regulation also noted that the procedure for extending a permit of mass organizations was similar to the initial registration procedure.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1271118/fpi-claims-no-need-of-permit-renewal