National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) stated that the Singapore government had banned the preacher Ustaz Abdul Somad (UAS) should be used as a lesson for Indonesia in preventing radicalism.
BNPT Director of Prevention Brigadier General Ahmad Nurwakhid said that the efforts made by neighboring Indonesia were nothing more than early anticipation of potential threats to their country.
“I see this as an important lesson for Indonesia to also take precautions from upstream by prohibiting radical views, understandings and ideologies that can lead to acts of terror and violence,” said Nurwakhid when contacted. CNNIndonesia.comWednesday (18/5).
According to him, Singapore is currently superior in terms of preventing threats and other forms of terror.
He gave an example that Indonesia is still taking preventive measures strike or law enforcement against terror threats while Singapore is already at the prevention stage from upstream, namely the idea of radicalism.
“Singapore is upstream that is”pre-emptive strike“, namely prevention of potential threats of action caused by views, doctrines and ideologies,” he explained.
Nurwakhid explained that Singapore has a legal basis called the Internal Security Act (ISA) to do this. The country can prohibit ideologies, views and understandings of radicalism that lead to acts of terrorism.
“Singapore dares to take this step because it is clear that lectures, attitudes and views that are exclusive, intolerant are the basic characteristics of the emergence of a radical understanding of terrorism due to the doctrine of al-wala wa bara and takfiri,” he said.
Therefore, he said, BNPT appreciates the policy taken by the Singapore government towards UAS.
Nurwakhid stated that his party would not intervene in the rejection of the arrival of UAS and his entourage to the country.
Previously, UAS was refused entry to Singapore by local authorities. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs cited a number of reasons for refusing the arrival of UAS in the country.
One of the points is that UAS is considered to be spreading extremist and segregated teachings. Singapore also criticized UAS’s statement that he had discussed suicide bombings in his lectures.
“Somad is known to spread extremist teachings and segregation, which is unacceptable in Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society,” the Ministry of Home Affairs official website said.
Singapore’s move has been criticized by various parties, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).
(mjo/ain)
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