Legislator Regrets Crackdown On Islamic Websites

Jakarta (Antara Bali) -  A legislator  said he regretted the blocking of a number of Islamic websites without sufficient clarification .

"Arbitrary blocking of Islamic websites is greatly regrettable. It is tantamount to returning to repressive and authoritarian regim of the  New Order," Almuzzammil Yusuf of the Commission I of the Parliament  said here on Wednesday. He referred to the authoritarian administration of President Suharto.

The Communications and Information Ministry blocked the websites on recommendation from the the National Anti Terrorist Agency (BNPT). Muzzammil said the government should first warned and summon the owners of the websiteS for dialogs before starting the crackdown.

The owners of the websites should be given the right to clarify, and if they refuse to be cooperative the government could THEN take the necessary measure, he said. "Their refusal to cooperate could be exposed for the public to take record," he said.

He said  BNPT should coordinate with the Communications and Information Ministry to determine which of the websites are against Islamic teaching. Opinions of experts, religious leaders and the Indonesian Council of Islamic Scholars (MUI) should be heard, he added.

The Commissions I, III and VIII will demand explanation from the  the Communications and Information Minister, Religious Affairs Minister and BNPT about the crackdown on the websites.

The blocking of websites  was part of the government measure to prevent the spread of the ISIS influence in the world's largest Muslim country. The government has been worried with large number of Indonesians visiting Middle East as tourists to join the ISIS. (WDY)