Former Minister Criticizes Failure To Disband NII

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Former Research and Technology Minister Muhammad A.S. Hikam has criticized the government and law enforcers for failing to disband the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) movement.

"The government and law enforcers still have no courage to disband radical organizations and to arrest the masterminds of the NII movement," Hikam said here on Saturday.

Speaking at a discussion on The Interpretation of the Youth of the Nation in Terms of Diversity, he said what the government and law enforcers had done so far was still limited to discussion and discourses on arrest.

"In the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) as one of the national pillars, the government and law enforcers should have been courageous to act decisively if there was a threat to the country," said the former technology and research minister.

He said that if there was a threat to the NKRI such as from NII movement, the government and law enforces should not be afraid to disband such a radical organization.

Hikam added that if such a radical organization was left without the firmest possible act from the government and law enforcers, NKRI in the future was feared to disintegrate.

"For the members of that radical organization to reach their goal, they lace their teaching with religious values by targeting the followers of the majority religion namely Islam," he said.

With such a strategy, Hikam said all public element should be united to fight against the radical movement who wanted to create a nation in the Unitary State of Indonesian Republic.

"Therefore the religious figures and scholars should be able to provide insight the teachings of present day study because NKIR upholds pluralism," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) has asked the National Police to deal with NII movement firmly without compromise.

Lemhanas Governor Budi Susilo Soepandji said in Jakarta recently that the law-enforcing agencies had been asked not to hesitate in acting against the NII movement. (*)