TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Religious Affair Ministry stated that it will improve supervision on Islamic Schools in Indonesia to prevent more students joining the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
"This is a threat to us all as Indonesia is a religious nation," said Religious Affair Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.
Lukman said that Moslems in Indonesia respects tolerance and peace amid diversity. Therefore, ISIS’s cause is against the ideology that has developed in Indonesia for hundreds of years.
He added that one of the many methods to prevent ISIS’ cause from inducing students of Islamic Schools is by teaching religious essence, in which religion is meant to respect humanity. "It is not to kill people. Islam does not teach that," he said.
Therefore, Lukman said that the ministry has formed a task force to observe all religious books, particularly those used in Islamic Schools. "I have made contact with Education Minister. We have the same perspective on the matter," said Lukman.
ANDRI EL FARUQI