The Government Of Sweden Is Inevitable Regarding Al-Quran Burns, The House Of Representatives Threatens To Take Bilateral Steps

JAKARTA - House of Representatives Commission I member Dave Akbarshah Fikarno said he would take steps to raise the issue of burning copies of the Koran to bilateral or multilateral levels, if the Swedish government does not handle it firmly.

He said that this step would be taken by Commission I of the DPR which oversees the field abroad, if there was no firm step after the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs took a diplomatic route by summoning the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Marina Berg.

"The information is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will summon the Ambassador (Marina Berg), if there is no firm and clear stance, Commission I will raise this issue to bilateral or multilateral," Dave said in Jakarta, Tuesday.

He considered that the burning of a copy of the Quran by Rasmus Paludan, a Swedish politician on Saturday, January 21, was a form of insult to Muslims in the world.

"We as a nation that has great respect for religious communities have become the obligation to condemn this," he said.

He said the Swedish government could not hide on the grounds of democratic freedom and argued to justify the action because it could potentially lead to even wider conflict.

"This will trigger division and can lead to even greater chaos," he said.

As quoted by Turkish news agency Anadolu, Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Stram Kurs Party (Garis Keras) burned a book Al Quran with government permission and police protection.

The Swedish government allows the burning of the Quran because it thinks action is part of freedom of expression and opinion.

The arson took place during a demonstration opposing Turkey's request last week for Sweden to take firm action against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey considers a terror group.