Government bans book published by Al Arqam

Government bans book published by Al Arqam

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Singgih yesterday announced the
ban against another book published by the Malaysia-based Al Arqam
movement, saying that its content could incite conflicts among
Moslems in Indonesia.

The book, entitled Presiden Soeharto Ikut Jadual Allah
(President Soeharto follows Allah's schedule), carries the
picture of the President on its cover and is written by the Al
Arqam leader Abuya Syeikh Imam Ashaari Muhammad, who has been
persona non grata in Indonesia since last week.

"This book is banned because the content could disrupt peace
and public order, and could incite conflict within the Islamic
community and between people of different faiths in Indonesia,"
Singgih told reporters after meeting with Soeharto at the Bina
Graha presidential office.

"This is a matter of SARA," he said, using the Indonesian term
to denote issues considered politically sensitive, which deal
with issues of ethnicity, religion or race.

"Those who have a copy of the book had better turn it over,"
he added.

The book, originally published in Malaysia in 1993, has been
reprinted in Indonesia by the local Al Arqam publication company.
This is the third book by the Al Arqam, popularly known as Darul
Arqam here, to be banned in Indonesia.

The government has been under pressure to ban the Darul Arqam,
the name of the movement in Indonesia, from the Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI), who says Arqam's teachings have deviated from
Islamic principles.

Malaysia formally banned the organization on its soil last
week.

Asked whether the ban against the book was a prelude to
outlawing the organization in Indonesia, Singgih said the two
were separate matters.

"I still have to study the opinions of the minister of
religious affairs, the security apparatus and the MUI," said
Singgih, whose office has the power to ban any organization.

"Just because Malaysia has banned it, doesn't mean that we
will follow suit," he said. "We have to think this through
carefully and take everything into consideration before I can put
my signature (on the order.)"

Kedungombo

The Attorney General yesterday also reported to the President
about the status of a land dispute in Kedungombo, Central Java.
The case became a major controversy after the Supreme Court ruled
against the government in favor of the displaced farmers.

Singgih said his office yesterday formally submitted its
petition for a review of the court case by the Supreme Court,
citing its objection to 31 points in the Court's ruling.

The government, for example, is objecting to the Rp 2 billion
"non-material" losses it had to pay the farmers. It is also
objecting to the suggestion that there was never any attempt to
settle the issue peacefully with the farmers.

He denied the suggestion that the government was using its
power to influence the Court. "We're pursuing this through legal
channels and we want to settle this matter through legal means."

The Supreme Court, in reversing the rulings of two lower
courts, ordered the government to pay Rp 50,000 per meter square
to the displaced farmers, as compared to the Rp 4,000 offered by
the government and the Rp 10,000 sought by the farmers.

On Saturday, the Semarang District Court in Central Java said
that it had received an order from the Supreme Court for stay of
implementation of the ruling pending the outcome of the case
review. (emb)