Moslem leaders visit Permadi, express support
Moslem leaders visit Permadi, express support
JAKARTA (JP): Two of Indonesia's most influential Moslem leaders visited detained soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho yesterday in an unusual show of defense for the mystic facing blasphemy charges.
Yusuf Hasyim and A.M. Fatwa unexpectedly appeared at the national police headquarters at 4:10 p.m. to console the psychic, who is also facing government lawsuits for his political prophesies.
Permadi, who has been in detention since March 19, has been charged by the police for having insulted Islam when he allegedly described Prophet Muhammad as a "dictator" in a seminar last year.
Hasyim, more popularly known as Pak Ud, is one of the few Moslem leaders who swim against the current in the Permadi case. He maintains that there is nothing blasphemous about Permadi's statement.
He said he has read the transcript of Permadi's remarks and concluded that they are in fact a "compliment" to Muhammad, not an insult in the way many Moslems have interpreted.
He met with Permadi to obtain an explanation of what Permadi actually meant when he commented on the leadership qualities of Prophet Muhammad.
Hasyim, who runs an Islamic boarding school with thousands of students in the East Java town of Jombang, said his talk with Permadi only confirmed the soothsayer's attempt to "praise" the prophet in his own way.
"No single statement in the transcript indicates that Permadi insulted Prophet Muhammad," he said.
He also agreed with Permadi that the statements in question appeared during the question-and-answer session when the mystic was simply responding to a participant's question.
Permadi's remarks in a closed seminar at Gajah Mada University have plunged him into hot water with various Moslem groups.
Numerous Moslem groups under Golkar have taken to the streets to condemn Permadi and are demanding that he be brought to court.
Leaders of the ruling Golkar party have also threatened to file a law suit against him for allegedly likening the political organization with the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) on a separate occasion.
Permadi is also in trouble for his remarks which suggested that the Ministry of Religious Affairs has embezzled enormous amounts money from would-be haj pilgrims.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher will also file a lawsuit against Permadi for his accusation.
Hasyim said that he asked Permadi to "remain patient" and steadfast and that he would give him the books on Islam that the mystic requested.
He also called on Moslems to remain calm and uphold the principle of presumption of innocence in the Permadi affair.(imn)