A regional leader in Indonesia’s Aceh province has been removed from his post following public backlash over a personal trip taken during a natural disaster. mirwan MS, chairman of the Gerindra Party in South Aceh, was dismissed after traveling to Mecca for Umrah while his district continued to recover from recent flooding and landslides. The move by the Gerindra Party comes after Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf rejected Mirwan’s initial request to travel abroad, citing the ongoing emergency response efforts.
Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
The Gerindra Party has removed Mirwan MS from his position as chairman of the South Aceh branch, following criticism that he traveled to Mecca for a pilgrimage while his region was grappling with severe flooding and landslides. The move underscores the party’s response to public outcry over perceived insensitivity during a natural disaster.
Sugiono, the Secretary-General of the Gerindra Party, confirmed that the party had received reports regarding Mirwan’s departure for Umrah amidst the ongoing emergency in 11 subdistricts of South Aceh.
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“It is regrettable that he displayed such behavior and leadership. Therefore, the Gerindra DPP has decided to dismiss him as Chairman of the Gerindra Party in South Aceh,” Sugiono said on Friday, December 5.
Mirwan MS initially faced public scrutiny for undertaking the religious pilgrimage while his district was battling the effects of flooding and landslides. He had also issued a letter stating his inability to manage the emergency response to the disaster.
The letter, numbered 360/1315/2025, was issued on November 27. Just five days later, on December 2, Mirwan departed for Umrah with his family while residents in the Trumon area remained displaced and sheltered in evacuation tents.
Residents have strongly criticized Mirwan’s actions, particularly given that Aceh is currently under a hydrometeorological disaster emergency declaration.
Denny Saputra, Head of Protocol and Communications for the Aceh Selatan region, confirmed the Bupati’s (regent’s) trip to Umrah. He explained that Mirwan left after assessing that conditions in South Aceh had improved following the floods.
“The Bupati of South Aceh and his wife went to Mecca to perform Umrah after seeing that the situation and conditions in South Aceh generally had stabilized, especially the water levels had receded in the settlements of Bakongan Raya and Trumon Raya,” Saputra said.
Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf, also known as Mualem, had previously rejected Mirwan MS’s request to travel abroad for Umrah during the flooding and landslide emergency.
Mirwan submitted his request for overseas travel to Mualem on November 24, 2025, but it was denied due to the ongoing hydrometeorological disaster in Aceh.
“The Governor has delivered a written response rejecting the request,” said Muhammad MTA, a spokesperson for the Aceh government, on Friday, December 5.
Mualem stated that South Aceh was one of the areas most severely affected by the disaster, and the Bupati had already declared a state of emergency for flood and landslide response in the region.
Mualem intends to reprimand the Bupati of South Aceh for what he considers a disregard for the rejection of his travel request.
“The Governor will issue a reprimand to the Bupati of South Aceh,” he said.
(mnf/dmi)
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