Muslim Millennials: Synergy Between BNPT And IPI Denies Accusations By The Government Of Islamophobia

The Head of BNPT Komjen Pol Boy Rafli Amar together with the IPI Head KH KMT Abdul Muhaimin gave a plaque after the signing of the cooperation. (ANTARA/Special)

BOGOR - The United Muslim Millennial Coordinator Khairul Anam said that the synergy between the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and the Indonesian Islamic Boarding School (IPI) denied accusations that the government was infected with Islamophobia.

"What BNPT is doing is by embracing all parties, including IPI. This clearly and firmly emphasizes the government's attitude that is open, fair, and does not discriminate between one group and another in society as an element forming Indonesia," said Khairul Anam in his written statement, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, May 31.

Khairul stated, IPI or pesantren circles are not only an internal part of Muslims, but as one of the mascots of Indonesian Islam. This means that the government's accusation of being infected with Islamophobia is clearly not true, fabricated, and it is even possible to use it to clash the government with Muslims.

According to him, the opening of BNPT to cooperate with Islamic boarding schools through the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), also shows that BNPT sees pesantren and IPI as BNPT's strategic partners in carrying out their main tasks and functions.

"BNPT clearly doesn't see IPI and Islamic boarding schools as tools, but fully believes that from the past until now, pesantren have always spread messages of tolerance and moderate Islamic thought that are growing and developing in Indonesia," said Anam.

Anam also referred to the statement by the Head of BNPT, Boy Rafli Amar, which he made during the signing of the MoU. At that time Boy Rafli said that since ancient times the messages of tolerance spread by pesantren were the face of the moderate Indonesian Islamic movement, which was based on religious and cultural values.

Moderation of Islam or ummatan wasathon, said Boy Rafli, has been proven to support the formation of Indonesia and encourage the development of the country since the first.

"We, Indonesian Muslims, have been shown to love the country, have an attitude of tolerance, and are known to respect diversity. We have maintained this diversity for decades," said Boy Rafli.

General Chairperson of IPI KH. KMT Abdul Muhaimin welcomed the cooperation and collaboration with BNPT in preventing terrorism. According to Abdul Muhaimin, the values of tolerance are original values that take root and grow in the life of Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia.

He said the cooperation has the potential to build an Indonesia free from terrorism.

As an institution, IPI has 420 branches and 12 thousand Islamic boarding schools spread across 34 provinces. This collaboration will certainly give good results for the future of the country. "BNPT and IPI have been discussing this cooperation since 2021," he said.