TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, announced that he does not determine whether a person is radical or not by their physical feature or wardrobe preference.

“Radicalism is a movement intending to shift an essential ideology through unofficial procedures,” said Mahfud as featured in an interview in Tempo Magazine’s latest edition.

The former Constitutional Court Chief Justice said that such groups classified as radical would constantly consider an established system to be corrupt with those challenging their ideals considered as enemies.

Mahfud also asserted that radicalism is far from the spirit of Islam and viewed that there are groups currently using religion as a vehicle to change a religious and ideology system. He maintained that it cannot be compared to Islamism that still acknowledges Pancasila (five state ideologies) as the country’s ideological backbone.

“I was once visited by people who intended to change the country’s ideology. Not all of them have beards nor did they wear capri pants (above the ankle),” said Mahfud MD.

These Capri-data-style pants that do not drop below a person’s ankle is seen by some as a trait for men who are religiously-strict. This has been a common misconception among members of society.

Syailendra Persada