TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy to deny entry of visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries could fuel prejudice against Muslim.

“Its direct effects [on Indonesia] are insignificant because we are not included [on the ban list], but it could fuel prejudice to Muslims in particular,” Vice President Kalla said Tuesday in Jakarta.

In fact, the Vice President said, strong reactions against Trump’s policy have been coming from his own people who deem the policy divisive.

“Americans were immigrants themselves, that’s the value they [U.S. citizens] hold. Meanwhile, it doesn’t have a direct effect on us; instead, they are the one who suffered,” Jusuf Kalla said.

VP Kalla expects to see refugee influx into Asia following Trump’s travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. Indonesia itself has been a transit country for Afghan migrants, among others, heading to Australia.

“Refugees are welcome here; we have experience of receiving refugees. Be it the Rohingya or Afghan [refugees],” the Vice President said.

Earlier, the President of the United States Donald Trump had signed 10 executive orders, which include the suspension of visa issuance to citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia.

ANTARA