"The government should not only deal with its political interest enemies but also with the enemies of the state."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A noted Islamic figure has voiced concern over radicalism in certain religious movements, saying it had now reached a dangerous level requiring serious handling by the government.

"It is not only threatening public security but also Islam and the state," Hasyim Muzadi, the former chief of one of Indonesia`s largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said.

Hasyim said it was more dangerous because they were driven by transnational political movements in other countries through hardline ideological channels.

He said the movement had recruited a lot of people from the innocent who were then made into militants to young intellectuals whose religious views had been distorted.

Hasyim said the movement had also used political channels using democracy as a way towards creating a theocracy to replace Pancasila as the country`s state ideology and also using mass pressure in dealing with religious disputes.

Therefore, he said, comprehensive handling by the government must be urgently carried out. "The government should not only deal with its political interest enemies but also with the enemies of the state," he said.

He said de-radicalization efforts were urgently needed and must be seriously carried out while the victims of indoctrination by radical movements had to be rehabilitated.

Asked if he was willing to be involved in deradicalization efforts, Hasyim said he was, if he was needed. "If really needed by the state and the government, the Al Hikan boarding schools in Malang (East Java) and Depok (West Java) are ready to become the center of rehabilitation for victims of radical movement influence," he said.

Hasyim who is also the chief of the Al Hikam boarding school said a curriculum for the rehabilitation and training programs had to be made ready especially the one that teaches on state-religion relationship and Pancasil as well as therapy programs for the brainwashing victims.

"Priority must be given to victims of radical doctrines while the campaigners and designers must first be legally processed," he said.

He said if the program is proven successful it could then be implemented in other Islamic boarding schools. ***1***
(T.S024/H-YH/HAJM/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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