Islamic Students and Ulema Pray for KPK in Face of Black Magic Threat

The Jakarta Globe, October 25, 2013.


Dozens of Islamic students and ulema from across Banten province made a trip to the headquarters of Indonesia’s antigraft body in an attempt to lift any black magic spells which may have been cast by supporters of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah and her family.

Dudung Abdurrahman, one of the students in attendance, said that the group recited verses from the Koran to protect the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) from any mystical attempts to thwart its investigation into the graft-ridden Banten political dynasty.

“This is our own initiative showing moral support for the KPK,” Dudung said on Friday. “This is so the KPK will not fear any black magic.”

Sensational rumors have swirled around Ratu Atut’s family since the arrest of her brother Tubagus Chaeri Wardhana (Wawan) over his alleged efforts to fix the Lebak District elections. Ratu Atut is said to be protected by a gang of jawara — powerful local leaders skilled in Indonesian martial arts and granted powers by local dukuns, or shamans.

Ki Gendeng Pamungkas, a shaman who claimed to know Ratu Atut’s family, said that the KPK’s investigation into her family would come back to haunt them.

“The sorcerer community in Banten, Sukabumi and South Cianjur will spontaneously attack KPK leaders,” Pamungkas said as quoted by Indonesian news portal Tribunnews.com. “They will do it without orders from Atut or any other party. Sorcerers will attack them because the late Chasan [Atut’s father] had close spiritual relationships with [sorcerers] in those regions.”

Pamungkas claimed that sorcerers had already cast several spells on KPK leaders, and that some members of the commission were under attacked.

“But surely they will not admit it,” he said.

Ratu Atut’s family, however, denied the supernatural allegations.

“Atut is a modern person, so there’s no black magic [involved],” Ratu Atut’s spokesman Fitron Nur Ikhsan said.

Regardless of the rumors, the KPK is unperturbed by the possibility of black magic and has extended its investigation of corruption to include Banten’s health agency.

“Let Atut be protected by the jawara — the KPK is protected by God,” KPK chief Abraham Samad told Detik.com earlier in October.



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