House Speaker Encourages MUI to Respond to Radicalism at Mosques
11 July 2018 06:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo encouraged the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) to respond to a finding that 41 out of the 100 mosques surveyed were indicated of being infiltrated by radicalism.
"There must be a clarification about the finding. It should not happen that the issue becomes a polemic and creates unrest," Bambang Soesatyo, who is also popularly called Bamsoet, noted here on Tuesday.
Bamsoet made the statement in response to the result of a survey conducted by the Association of Community and Islamic Boarding School Development Institution (P3M).
The result of P3M`s survey indicated that a total of 41 of the 100 mosques under government institutions are indicated of having been infiltrated by radicalism.
The house speaker said that the survey was conducted at 100 mosques within the government`s institutions, such as ministries, state agencies, and state-owned firms (BUMN).
Bamsoet, who is also a politician of the Golkar Party, stressed that Commission VIII on religious affairs of the House of Representatives should follow up on the finding.
The commission should conduct a working meeting with the minister of religious affairs.
"The P3M should also be invited to explain the result of its survey," he added.
Bamsoet also called on the BNPT and MUI to study the result of the survey in a bid to adopt preventive measures.
"The P3M finding also serves as a reminder for the BNPT, ministries, state agencies, and BUMNs.
"I urge the BNPT, BUMNs, state agencies, and all ministries in Indonesia to improve supervision within the houses of worship in their surroundings and organize activities that can foster the spirit of nationalism," he emphasized.
Bamsoet also requested the Ministry of Religious Affairs to provide regular training and counseling to religious leaders and scholars, who deliver religious sermons, so that the lecture material presented will foster a sense of peace and kinship among religious followers.
ANTARA
