"Trump`s immigrant policy has been made based on security reasons," Donovan said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan affirmed that the US President Donald Trumps immigrant policy was not related to religion.

"Trumps immigrant policy has been made based on security reasons," Donovan said here, after a meeting with National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) head Bambang Brodjonegoro, on Wednesday.

The ambassador remarked that Trumps policy was not addressed to Indonesian citizens.

"The relations between US and Indonesia will be better in many aspects in the future," he affirmed.

"We believe that Indonesia will provide many advantages for us," he stated.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla earlier said that Trumps immigrant policy could increase mistrust against Muslims.

"There is no direct impact on Indonesia, but the decision could increase mistrust against Muslims," Kalla said here on Tuesday.

Americans have strongly protested Trumps decision, because the policy could endanger the integrity of the United States.

"Americans were immigrants themselves, and they maintain the values," the Kalla remarked.

Through the policy, the migrant influx would shift to Asia, including Indonesia.

"Indonesia has become a transit for migrants from Afghanistan who head to Australia," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the House Inter-parliamentary Cooperation Committee (BKSAP) Rofi Munawar said that Trumps policy could complicate the dialogue between the Islamic world and the West.

"Trumps immigrant policy has caused concern among Muslims," Munawar said.

He added that the policy was based on the excessive assumptions against Islam. Trump assumed that Islam was related to acts of terror.

The US president put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks.

He said the most sweeping use of his presidential powers since taking office a week ago, barring travelers from seven nations for at least 90 days, would give his administration time to develop more stringent screening procedures for refugees, immigrants and visitors.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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