Disasters are God's signals: Amien Rais

Disasters are God's signals: Amien Rais

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The spate of natural and man-made disasters that have hit Indonesia this month may have been reminders from Allah that certain people here have strayed from His path, said Moslem scholar Amien Rais.

Given the recent floods and fires, the plane crash in Bandung and the sinking of the Gurita ferry in Aceh, which claimed dozens of lives, the noted scholar said, "There is nothing wrong if we all carry out introspection and return to Allah's path."

"Don't be arrogant and say that these tragedies were mere accidents with scientific explanations. Isn't it possible that they were Allah's warnings to the people in Indonesia?" he said at a Ramadhan sermon held at Gadjah Mada University on Wednesday.

Amien, who is a Gadjah Mada staff lecturer, said "social oppression" in this country has become frighteningly widespread.

"It is hard to breathe in this country, where the air has been degraded in terms of spirituality, discipline and honesty, not to mention the widespread corruption," he said.

Amien, who is also chairman of the influential Muhammadiyah organization, has recently become one of the most vocal scholars and critics of corruption within the administration.

He cited the government's minimum wage policy as an example of "social oppression".

Minimum wages in Indonesia are already the lowest in the region, he said. "Even so, many employers still object to paying them, as if they object to helping their poorer brothers." (har)