Former Executive Detachment Arrested By Densus 88, PKB Asks MUI To Clean Up, Not Lavishly And Return To Khittah

Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PKB Faction, Maman Imanulhaq (Capture of Youtube Indonesia Lawyers Club)

JAKARTA - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the PKB faction, Maman Imanulhaq, does not agree with the discourse on the dissolution of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) after a former member of its board was arrested by the Special Detachment 88 Anti-terror. According to him, MUI is still needed by Indonesia. "Not because one of its administrators is suspected of being involved in a terrorist network, the MUI, which is a forum for Islamic mass organizations, has been disbanded," Maman told reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday, November 23. "In MUI there are still many figures from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, Persis, Da'wah Council, Al Irsyad, and other mass organizations who love Indonesia," he continued.

Furthermore, this member of the PKB Syuro Council reminded that terrorism does not only grow in certain groups, but terrorist seeds can grow anywhere, anytime, and by anyone.

So that the public should not only see that terrorists arise from certain religious groups. All religious adherents, he said, have an extremist and terrorist side.

"That means that the seeds of terrorism can come out of any group. Don't get carried away easily, because there are MUI members who are suspected of being involved in terrorist networks, all of them are accused of being terrorists," said Maman.

Nevertheless, the member of Commission VIII of the DPR hopes that this momentum can be used as an evaluation and improvement in the MUI body, which has so far been considered exclusive. MUI, he said, must return to its khittah as was done by Buya Hamka, the first chairman of the MUI, namely to guide, foster, and protect Muslims.

But on the other hand, said Maman, MUI also has a role to provide criticism or advice on government policies.

"I don't agree with the dissolution of MUI, but I want MUI to make improvements. It's not just luxurious, as if it can exceed other mass organizations, even though MUI is only a mass organization, not an official state institution even though it gets a budget from the state," said the caregiver of the Al Mizan Jatiwangi Islamic Boarding School.

Maman encourages a financial audit at MUI as a form of financial transparency and accountability as an institution that enjoys the state budget, including audits of finances obtained from the results of halal certification.

He also confirmed his support for Densus 88 in its action to arrest a number of terrorism suspects some time ago. However, Kiai Maman also reminded the importance of disclosure of information regarding the arrests of the three suspected terrorists who are also known as preachers.

"So then there is no suspicion, as if this regime is anti-Muslim," he said.