TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Shinta Nuriyah Abdurahman Wahid, the wife of Indonesian fourth president Abdurrahman Wahid alias Gus Dur, said that radical movement and intolerant groups have asserted their influence into some Indonesians.
“Radical movement and intolerance have infiltrated the nation. Only less than twenty percent [of respondents] oppose to Indonesia becoming an Islamic state,” Shinta said in a talk show on women and diversity in Jakarta on Monday, April 10, 2017.
Shinta said that the survey was conducted by Jakarta-based Wahid Foundation. Of a total 1,255 respondents, she said, as many as 59 percent harbor hatred toward non-Muslims, ethnic Chinese, and other minorities. “The impact of such hatred is an opposition to the groups [non-Muslims] taking public office in Indonesia,” she said.
Moreover, Shinta went on, as many as 82 percent respondents were against the presence of any member of the groups living as their neighbors. “The condition has even affected the neighborhood. Only a few were neutral and willing to respect differences,” she said.
Shinta has expressed her concern over such findings. The survey also revealed that at least 11.5 million people are prone to committing radical acts.
She said that the figures serve as a warning to Indonesians in facing religious radicalism. “The more fervent the desire to impose the sharia law, the more they want to commit radical acts,” he said.
Radical and intolerant movements may pose a real threat to Indonesia’s diversity, according to Shinta. Radical groups have been infiltrating educational institutions under the disguise of religion, operating under the radar at campuses.
“Allowing them to indoctrinate students into radicalism. We must be wary of it,” she said.
Shinta continued that control mechanism should be put in place on Islamic preaching among students.
“Students must be accompanied to counter radical and fundamental teaching,” she said.
She said that Indonesians ought to put respect and mutual assistance first and foremost.
“Muslims, who make up the majority [of the country’s population], have to live side by side with minority groups. All must respect and help each other,” Shinta Wahid said.
Shinta said that Indonesia’s diversity has been torn apart by its own people owing to the efforts of radical, fundamentalist, intolerant groups who are trying to brainwash the people, particularly youths and students.
“Radical groups want to turn the NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] into an Islamic state. I don’t like it,” she said, adding that she is concerned with the country’s current situation.
She added that older generations should protect their children from negative peer influence. Parents must also examine the subjects disseminated in Islamic organizations at educational institutions.
ANTARA
