He said that Indonesians must understand that ethnic groups, and racial, cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity of the Indonesian nation are inevitable characteristics that must be preserved.
"We, as part of the Indonesian nation, must not attack each other just because they are not in the same group like ours," Tamliha added during a legislator discussion webinar on ‘Anticipate digital radicalism,’ accessed from here on Saturday.
Indonesians must have tolerance and understanding of the diversity that exists in the country to prevent tension and conflicts against other groups who do not share the same physical and social characteristics, the legislator said.
"Social balance and tolerance must be nurtured to make sure that there will not be social friction with each other," he remarked.
During the seminar, organized through cooperation between DPR RI Commission I and the Ministry of Communications and Informatics, Tamliha urged residents to be careful in utilizing social media.
Social media, in spite of its positive functions, also provide spaces for radical groups to promote radicalism and opposition to tolerance in society, he said.
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Despite the declining trend in the spread of radical messages on social media and the digital realm, some radical splinter groups have continued disseminating radical narratives, the legislator added.
"Their narratives often attack or polarize one religion against another religion. Some groups even abuse the social media platform to attack the skin color or language of other groups," Tamliha said.
He expressed the hope that residents will realize that efforts to prevent radicalism and terrorism have a universal character, hence, each resident is responsible for opposing radicalism and terrorism in society.
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Translator: Tri Meilani A, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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