Mahfud Md: There Is No Criminality For The Ulama. If There Is, I Will Release It

Menko Polhukam Mahfud MD (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOi)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Mahfud MD, admitted that he was irritated by the narrative that the government was committing Islamophobia. He admitted that he was ready to release the cleric from legal charges if he became a victim of criminalization due to Islamophobia.

Mahfud emphasized that a number of ulama who were dragged into the realm of law were purely due to criminal acts, not because of their political religious status.

Furthermore, Mahfud even deliberately met a number of activists who claimed to be sympathizers of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and its leader Habib Rizieq Shihab. In order to ask about the criminalization of ulama which is often brought up by a handful of groups to the government.

"I said, when did the ulama criminalize? Try to name only one ulama who was criminalized," said Mahfud, through a written statement received by VOI, Thursday, December 24.

But unfortunately, said Mahfud, no one was able to answer the question of who the ulama were the victims of the criminalization due to Islamophobia. In fact, he said he would release immediately if there was one.

"Let's just mention one, who are the current criminalized ulama. As the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs I will try to free them as soon as possible if any ulama are criminalized. Still no one answers," he said.

Mahfud said the government had not criminalized ulama. He also tried to compile a list of scholars who were caught in legal cases.

First is Abu Bakar Bashir, who he said was sentenced because he was proven to be involved in terrorism.

The second is Bahar bin Smith. Mahfud said, Habib Bahar was punished not because he made fun of the government, but because he had committed serious persecution.

Then there was the name Habib Rizieq Shihab, who was called Mahfud, who was proven to have legally committed a general crime.

Fourth, Sugik Nur Rahardja or Gus Nur. According to Mahfud, this figure was clearly speaking hate speech openly and was not a scholar.

"Come on, just mention one if there are ulama who are criminalized. You know, those who are convicted of a criminal act, not because of a cleric. Cook, committing a crime is not punished? In Indonesia there is no Islamophobia," he said.

Mahfud said, the majority of the government, officials, high-ranking officials including members of the TNI / Polri are Muslim, so it is impossible for Islamophobia to emerge in the country. Moreover, over time, the government often involved ulama to make policies.

"There has been no criminalization of ulama in Indonesia because apart from co-founding Indonesia first, currently it is the ulama who govern, lead and participate in directing policies in Indonesia," he said.