Labeled As An Extremist Preacher, Singapore Expels UAS, Social Media Activist: How Free Is Lecture In Indonesia?

Ustaz Abdul Somad alias UAS. (Instagram @ustadzabdulsomad_official)

JAKARTA - The reason for the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs banning Ustaz Abdul Somad alias UAS from entering the country is because of the content of the lecture. UAS is considered to often give lectures that demean and disbelieve adherents of other religions.

Reflecting on what UAS is facing, social media activist Yusuf Muhammad views the content of lectures in Indonesia as being too free. The reason is that many lecturers in the country contain insults but are loved.

"Just realized drun, how free are lectures in Indonesia?" said Yusuf through his Twitter account, @yusuf_dumdum, Thursday, May 18.

According to Yusuf, the lectures that intersect with hate speech and provocations that are still widely conveyed in religious activities in the country have their own mass. Yusuf referred to the crowd as kadrun (cloudy mind).

"When cursing at other religions and cursing at the president is even more popular in Indonesia. The problem is that there are a lot of kadrun population", he said.

As is known, the Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore banned UAS from entering the country on Monday, May 16. UAS was refused entry with a group of seven people when they arrived at the Tanah Merah port, Singapore.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore said in a statement that UAS was considered to be embracing extremist teachings and was therefore not allowed to enter Singapore.

"Somad is known as an extremist preacher and teaches segregation", the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement on its official website, quoted Wednesday, May 18.

Another reason for the refusal was because UAS had made a suicide bombing lecture which was not tolerated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore.

"As Somad delivered a sermon that suicide bombings are legal in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and are considered martyrdom operations", the statement continued.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore has also recorded a track record of UAS lectures demeaning adherents of other religions, which is the reason why they are not allowed to enter Singapore.

"By depicting the Christian cross as the abode of the infidel Jinn. In addition, Somad openly refers to non-Muslims as infidels", the statement continued.

"Entrance of a visitor to Singapore is neither automatic nor entitlement. Every case is judged. Meanwhile, Somad tries to enter Singapore under the guise of a social visit. The Singaporean government takes seriously anyone advocating violence and/or supporting extremist teachings and segregation. Somad and his companions denied entry to Singapore", said a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore.