SMRC Survey Results Affirm That The Indonesian People Are Loyal To The Republic Of Indonesia Is Not A Khilafah In Today's Memory, June 4, 2017

Demonstrations demanding HTI be disbanded because it interferes with national stability. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA Memories of today, seven years ago, June 4, 2017, Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) released the results of a survey related to the possibility of Indonesia becoming a caliphate country or an Islamic state. As a result, only 9.2 percent of respondents agreed.

Previously, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) was known as the mass organization that most aggressively expressed Indonesia's desire as an Islamic state. This desire comes in the form of discussions. They target young people to the working class. The government also felt disturbed.

The democratic system adopted by Indonesia often gets criticism. Those who speak the loudest about democracy are HTI. They see that Indonesia's democratic system has many weaknesses. Take for example in the voting system.

Those with the status of intelligence or religious experts only get one voice. Their voices are equal to those of other citizens, such as criminals to corruptors. This condition raises problems because the leader of the form of democracy is not the best.

HTI also sees that it is time for Indonesia to use the caliphate system. The Islamic state is considered the main answer of all kinds of national dynamics. Gradually, HTI supporters began to grow. The middle class and students began to join the da'wah movement carried out by HTI.

Problems arise. HTI's understanding is considered unsuitable with Indonesia. HTI's presence was also felt to be disrupting national stability. The concept of an Islamic state he brought was contrary to Pancasila. Indonesia is multicultural. Religion in Indonesia is not just Islam, even though it is the majority of Islam.

HTI's understanding then received opposition because it could obscure intolerance. Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Wiranto took a stand. He plans to dissolve the mass organization throughout Indonesia.

He believes HTI has never contributed to taking a positive role in taking part in the national development process. Wiranto also said that the plan to dissolve HTI was not a form of allergies to Islamic da'wah. He emphasized that HTI must be dissolved because it could damage the unity and integrity of Indonesia.

"Yes, how? How can we allow it? We let it go? We can't. Whatever reason, we can't because even though we are a democratic country, a country that has the freedom to express opinions, but there are limits, freedom is limited, what are the limits? law. When it violates the law we will solve it," said Wiranto as quoted by the coverage page 6.com, May 13, 2017.

The SMRC survey institute is also interested in examining the extent to which the Indonesian people support the caliphate system. They also conducted a survey and the results were announced on June 4, 2017. The results did not agree that the Republic of Indonesia would be replaced as a caliphate country.

Those who support Indonesia remain in the corridor of the Republic of Indonesia, reaching 79.3 percent. Meanwhile, only 9.2 percent of those who agree that the Republic of Indonesia will be replaced by a caliphate. The rest, 11.5 percent of respondents admitted that they did not know or did not answer.

SMRC said the 9.2 percent figure was not a small amount. If calculated, the figure is equivalent to 20 million Indonesians.

"The number can reach 20 million people, more than Singaporeans. So I don't think the government needs to worry, there are still many who support and are optimistic about the Republic of Indonesia," said survey owner Saiful Mujani as quoted by the COMPASS.com page, June 4, 2017.