Harmoko's error 'human': Moslem groups<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Seventeen major Moslem organizations announced
\njointly yesterday that they fully understand the recent slip of
\nthe tongue made by Minister of Information Harmoko, but urged him
\nto ask forgiveness from God.<\/p>\n
The organizations, which included the Indonesian Ulemas'
\nCouncil (MUI), Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah and the Islamic
\nPropagation Council (DDII), said that the mistake committed by
\nHarmoko "was human and could happen to anyone."<\/p>\n
The joint statement was read by KH Hasan Basri, MUI chairman,
\nin a nationwide televised news conference.<\/p>\n
The statement said that the organizations had concluded after
\nbeing briefed by Harmoko on Wednesday that his mistake was "pure
\nerror and forgetfulness."<\/p>\n
"There was no intention on the part of the minister to demean
\nIslam."<\/p>\n
Reports said Harmoko's "slip of tongue" took place when he
\nopened a leather puppet festival in the Central Javanese city of
\nSurakarta on July 15.<\/p>\n
Later, Harmoko confessed to mispronouncing the seventh verse
\nof Al Fatihah, the opening chapter of the Moslem holy book, and
\napologized for the blunder.<\/p>\n
Harmoko said publicly on Wednesday that he had apologized to
\nboth God and the Moslem community for the "errors, mistakes and
\nforgetfulness." He has also apologized to President Soeharto and
\nthe MUI chairman.<\/p>\n
The mistake initially angered several Moslem organizations,
\nwhich demanded that the minister be brought to trial over the
\naffair.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher,
\nspeaking at yesterday's conference, urged the public not to
\nexaggerate the episode.<\/p>\n
"If making an error in reading the Koran can spark a big
\nproblem, many Moslems will be afraid to read it anymore," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Tarmizi said that the minister's case was quite
\ndifferent from that of soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho, who is
\ncurrently waiting for the court's verdict in his trial for
\nallegedly insulting Islam.<\/p>\n
Mispronouncing Koranic verses is one thing and insulting Islam
\nis another, Tarmizi said on Wednesday. "Insulting people can be
\ndealt with by a court of law, but mispronouncing something
\ndoesn't call for such a path," he said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama, the
\nlargest Moslem organization in Indonesia, said recently that he
\nhad received a report about the case and he had forgiven the
\nminister for the slip of the tongue. "If it was a pure slip of
\nthe tongue, we should forgive him and help him stand upright," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama should not demand that the minister take
\nresponsibility for such a mistake, he added.<\/p>\n
However, in Yogyakarta yesterday, a Moslem organization called
\non the local legislative assembly to sue Harmoko over the
\nmispronunciation.<\/p>\n
"We feel insulted," Rodji Al-Ghufron, an activist from Forum
\nSantri Yogyakarta, told the assembly leaders during a meeting
\nbetween his 13-member delegation and legislators.<\/p>\n
The forum said in a public statement that an apology was not
\nenough for Moslems.<\/p>\n
Harmoko's explanation and apology, which were broadcast by TV
\nnetworks on Wednesday, were "naive and not serious," Rodji said.<\/p>\n
Rodji told the assembly that both Arswendo Atmowiloto, the
\nformer chief editor of the banned Monitor tabloid, and Permadi
\nhad also apologized for degrading the Prophet Muhammad. "But they
\nstill had to stand trial," he added.<\/p>\n
The forum' statement received support from Suryanto of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party and from Herman Abdurrahman of the
\nUnited Development Party.<\/p>\n
"The best way to solve the problem is to take the case to
\ncourt," Suryanto said. (05\/02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/harmokos-error-human-moslem-groups-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}