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Thursday, July 13, 2017

Daily Lessons from Life 12 July 2017 - Significant move by President Jokowi

"Indonesia president Jokowi inks decree to ban radical groups

JAKARTA: Indonesia has issued a decree allowing it to ban groups that oppose its official state ideology, in a move seen to target radical Islamists in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

The law, signed by President Joko Widodo on Monday (Jul 10), comes as concerns grow about the influence of hardliners in Indonesia, where a majority of the population practise a moderate form of Islam.

It empowers the government to disband without trial any group that challenges Pancasila, a set of founding national principles which promote pluralism and tolerance. Pancasila is considered the unifying factor for a country home to significant Christian, Hindu and Buddhist minorities.

Security minister Wiranto, who goes by one name, said Wednesday (Jul 12) the move was taken because some groups were "threatening the nation's existence and creating conflict in the society".

Neither Wiranto nor the decree name specific organisations.

But activists said the move is aimed to disband Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), the local branch of a radical Islamist group that seeks to unify all Muslims into a caliphate.

Mass organisations spreading ideologies such as atheism and communism are also banned under the decree. Rights activists warned that the decree could stifle a broad range of democratic institutions.

"Banning any organization strictly on ideological grounds, including Pancasila, is a draconian action that undermines rights of freedom of association and expression," Andreas Harsono, a Human Rights Watch researcher in Jakarta, told AFP.
Asfinawati, the head of Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation, said the move is "a setback of Indonesia's democracy"."

This is a very significant move by President Jokowi as in recent months, the extremist Muslims r in the bad light for intolerance of others n threatening others like big bullies!!

Pancasila is the fundamental principles upon which a united Indonesia is formed, functioned n prosper. It CANNOT be allowed to be destroyed by extremism n intolerance. The benefits of the majority must not be subjected to the tyranny of the minority. 

I salute President Jokowi n his team for doing the right things. May Asean support him with this initiative. 

ps: Dr Tan decided to appeal the challenge on the legitimacy of EP. I salute his perseverance. He teaches us never to relinquish our ideals! 

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