NU says hoarding of goods against Islamic teaching

NU says hoarding of goods against Islamic teaching

JAKARTA (JP): Hoarding of essential commodities during an
economic crisis is illegal according to Islamic law, a leader of
the country's largest Moslem organization said over the weekend.

Ilyas Rukhiyat, chairman of the law-making body of Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU), was quoted by Antara as saying Saturday that Islam
forbade hoarding not only because it wrought havoc on the people,
but it could spark riots.

"It (the hoarding) would not have occurred had the speculators
realized the terrible consequences of their wrongdoing ... NU is
very concerned about the hoarding," Ilyas said in Samarinda, East
Kalimantan.

NU is the country's largest Moslem group with its membership
numbering some 30 million.

Ilyas suggested that the government learn from the unrest,
which could be blamed on economic inequality. "The government
should no longer seek economic growth only. We must make
equality, as well as clean governance, top priority," he said.

He also called on Moslems to help each other and maintain
their composure as the nation suffered economic adversity.

It was the second reprimand coming from a Moslem figure after
the chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council, Hasan Basri, who
called on Moslems earlier this month to wage a jihad (holy war)
against speculators and hoarders of staple commodities.

Sporadic riots have jolted the sprawling archipelago over
rising prices over the past two months, with mobs attacking shops
whose owners they accused of stockpiling the nine basic
commodities. At least five people died during the riots.

While continuously conducting operations to track down alleged
hoarders, security authorities have threatened to charge anyone
caught hoarding with subversion, a crime that carries a maximum
penalty of death.

In the latest operation in Medan last week, chief of the
military command overseeing northern Sumatra, Maj. Gen. Rizal
Nurdin, found two traders who had tons of sugar, rice, wheat,
fertilizer and lubricants in two separate storehouses on Jl.
Binjai.

The businessmen are being detained by police upon Rizal's
request, pending completion of the investigation into their
cases.

"If the investigation finds they intentionally stockpiled
commodities for their own benefit, they will face subversion
charges," Rizal said.

Separately in Bandung, director of a local legal aid
institute, Haneda Sri Lastoto, said the subversion law could be
used to try alleged hoarders in place of the Criminal Code.

"The Criminal Code does not mention hoarding in detail, but it
doesn't mean people can escape the legal consequences of
hoarding," Haneda said.

He said under the law, enacted in 1963, hoarders could be
charged with sabotage.

According to the controversial law, sabotage includes conduct
intended to damage, harm or halt the distribution of and/or
dispose of essential goods imported or provided by the
government.

Haneda said that although the law did not determine an exact
quantity which could be classified as hoarding, it could be
imposed on alleged hoarders because of the effects of their
activities.

"The problem is that their behavior has sparked economic
uncertainty," Haneda said. (21/amd)