UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim today commemorates its 71st anniversary. The birthday of the ministry whose motto is Ikhlas Beramal is commemorated as the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Charity Day (HAB). As in previous years, one of the mandatory activities in every commemoration of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Charity Day (HAB) is a ceremony in all work units of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, both central and regional. The HAB commemoration was marked by a ceremony held in the field in front of the General HM Soeharto Building. The Rector of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Prof. Mudjia Raharjo, himself led the ceremony.
Seventy-one years ago, on January 3, 1946, the government, at the suggestion of the Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP), established the Ministry of Religious Affairs and appointed its first Minister, Haji Mohammad Rasjidi. The establishment of the Ministry of Religious Affairs was a significant and historic event for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as a nationalist, religious nation.
In his speech, the Chancellor of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, who was asked to read the remarks of the Minister of Religious Affairs, said that in line with the theme of the 71st Ministry of Religious Affairs' Charity Day in 2017, namely Clean and Serving, and with the motto of Serving the Community More, I hope that this commemoration of the Anniversary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs will further strengthen our commitment to integrity and work ethic as public servants and protectors of all religious communities.
“"The Ministry of Religious Affairs must be more closely involved in serving the community, thereby further strengthening our commitment as public servants. Therefore, Ministry of Religious Affairs civil servants must develop their insights and improve their skills," he said.
The Minister also instructed the Ministry of Religious Affairs staff to act as religious figures and statesmen, prioritizing the public and national interest above group and personal interests. He noted that the public increasingly views the Ministry of Religious Affairs' performance positively, as evidenced by several surveys showing a high interfaith harmony index. "Some time ago, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs also received several awards from the President and the Indonesian Ministry of Finance. On the other hand, the Indonesian Ombudsman assessed our performance as not so good. We also dropped from a WTP (Unqualified Opinion) to a WDP (Unqualified Opinion) from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).“
Regarding positive performance, let's be grateful and remain consistent on the right track. Conversely, let's immediately correct any remaining negative notes. That's why the phrase "Clean and Serving," which was the theme of last year's HAB, remains intact. The hope is that we will be truly clean, leaving no trace of blemish. However, this year's theme is complemented by the motto "Closer to Serving the Community," which means we must be more sensitive to detecting community aspirations, more alert to resolving problems, and more agile in meeting the needs of the community, he added.
The event ended with the reading of the oath of new ASN employees at UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang and the inauguration of Prof. Dr. dr. Bambang Pardjianto Sp.B Sp.BP(K) as the new Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FKIK) UIN Malang, and closed with a prayer.