Minister Mahfud MD Rebuffs 'Islamophobic Govt' Allegations
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Laila Afifa
Jumat, 18 September 2020 11:49 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security Mahfud MD, in an online discussion dubbed the “Dialog Kebangsaan” [archipelagic dialogue], denies allegations accusing the Jokowi administration of discrediting Islam.
“Who says the Jokowi administration discredits Islam? The president himself is a Muslim, Islamic boarding schools [pesantren] are accommodated, laws are made for it, hajj pilgrimage is served,” Mahfud MD says in the discussion held by Andalas University on Thursday, Sept. 17.
He asserts that those accusing the government of being Islamophobic is pure nonsense, saying the actual Islamophobia took place during Indonesia’s past when the country was still under the Dutch colony.
Mahfud MD also talks about terrorist bombings that happened in Indonesia’s modern history.
"It’s not the religion [Islam] that became the main discussion but the people [behind the attacks]. As what they do violate religious teachings and state laws,” he says, reassuring that the government protects every religious belief, including Islam.
Read: Mahfud MD: No Convincing Reasons to Postpone Pilkada Elections
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