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)