Comments: Moderate Islam on the brink against radicals

June 25, p. 1

Who is supposedly responsible for keeping radical teachings at bay? That is a question few can answer, despite growing radicalism and intolerance plaguing the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.

With no clear measures to protect moderate Muslims against the proliferation of radical groups, Indonesia’s war against terrorism may be hitting the wall.

The Religious Affairs Ministry, which is supposed to spearhead the fight against radicalism, has no specific measures or budget for this despite the country’s history of major terrorist attacks in the last 10 years.

The ministry has allocated less than 1 percent of its Rp 28 trillion (US$2.97 billion) budget this year to fighting radical movements.

Your comments:

I suspect the Religious Affairs Ministry is one of the root causes for the spread of radical Islam in
Indonesia since they continue to turn a blind eye to the roots of the problems.

I am also quite sure Malaysians and Saudis are also a big part of the problem, not to mention the Kuawitis that I have met who simply hate anything that doesn’t adhere to their interpretation of Sharia law.

I truly hope Indonesia doesn’t go in the direction of Egypt, which in a short time will be heading back to the dark ages. Aku rindu (I yearn for) Indonesia!
David Watkins

The only way to stop the radicalism in Indonesia is for the government to reeducate those radical groups in Indonesia.

Tell them that we live in a democratic nation; that we don’t disturb others and we listen to people’s voices.
S. Muslim

The only way to stop radicalism is to stop the US and its allies from killing hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and many other places.
Abdul