Galang Pasantren Waqf After Shopping Plans To Singapore Canceled, Gun Romli Sindir Ustaz Abdul Somad: Laughed At The Lion Statue
JAKARTA - Ustaz Abdul Somad (UAS) invites the public to divert spending money to Singapore for waqf for the construction of the Nurul Azhar Islamic boarding school after he was rejected by the Singaporean authorities. This was revealed by UAS through an upload on his official Instagram account, @ustadzabdulsomad_official.
This got the attention of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) activist, Guntur Romli. Through a tweet on his Twitter account @GunRomli, Gun Romli gave a spicy satire.
"After being banned, I can't go on vacation & shopping in Singapore now talking about waqf boarding schools. Even though before that they used to talk about alms & waqf, instead they want to go on vacation & shopping in Singapore. Now want to boycott Singapore? Laughing at the lion statue," wrote Gun Romli quoted Wednesday, 18 May.
He added that the UAS plan to spend in Singapore clearly helps the country's economy. Ironically, the country and the 'neighbors' of UAS itself are currently facing difficulties.
"Holidays & shopping in Singapore, he said, he wanted to help improve Singapore's economy, even though his neighbors and the country were more severely affected. When he was raising funds, he was selling tragedies: submarines, Gaza, Syria, but he wanted to spend the money instead going to Singapore," the PSI politician quipped.
Previously, the Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryopratomo said that UAS was not deported, but refused entry. "He was not deported but did not get permission to enter Singapore. So he was asked to return to Indonesia," said Suryopratomo, Tuesday, May 17.
It's just a matter of reason, he explained, his party could not reveal and throw questions to the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta.
"If the reason is right, maybe ask the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta. Because they have the right to explain the reason," added Suryopratomo.
Meanwhile, the Singaporean authorities gave an explanation regarding the reasons for the refusal of the UAS which was published on Tuesday, 17 May. Here's the reason.
1. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed that Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara (Somad) arrived at Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on May 16, 2022 from Batam with six traveling companions. Somad was interviewed, after which the group was denied entry to Singapore and placed on a ferry back to Batam the same day.
2. Somad is known for spreading extremist teachings and segregation, which is unacceptable in Singapore's multi-racial and multi-religious society. For example, Somad has preached that suicide bombings are legal in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and are considered "martyrdom" operations. He also made derogatory comments about members of other religious communities, such as Christians, by describing the Christian cross as the abode of "pagan jinn". In addition, Somad openly refers to non-Muslims as “kafir” (kafir).
3. Entry of visitors to Singapore is not automatic or entitlement. Each case is judged on its own merits. While Somad attempted to enter Singapore under the guise of a social visit, the Singapore Government took seriously anyone advocating violence and/or supporting extremist teachings and segregation. Somad and his traveling companions were denied entry to Singapore.