PM Goh expresses concerns over radicalism in RI

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has expressed concern over possible political instability in Indonesia due to rising religious extremism in the country.

In a meeting with Indonesian Muslim leaders here on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said political instability in Indonesia would affect the entire region, including Singapore.

"He was just airing his concern over the possibility. We urged him to support Indonesia and not just dwell on the worst possibilities," Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi said after the meeting.

Muhammdiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif, who also attended the meeting, said Goh underlined that Singapore would suffer along with Indonesia if Jakarta failed to deal with terrorism.

"He asked Muslim leaders to hold a dialog with radical groups regarding the issue, which we planned to do," Syafii said.

Goh was in Indonesia for a two-day visit to express support for President Megawati Soekarnoputri in the current fight against terrorism, especially after the Bali bombings on Oct. 12 that killed over 190 people and injured some 300 others, mostly foreigners.

Singapore has repeatedly urged Indonesia to take a tougher line on radical groups in the country.

The city-state arrested members of extremist group Jamaah Islamiyah long before it was declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations last month.

Indonesia has repeatedly brushed aside suggestions that terrorism is related to religion, underlining that Islam does not condone violence.

Goh, on his last day in Indonesia, hosted on Tuesday the meeting with the Muslim leaders, including noted Muslim scholars Nurcholish Madjid and Azyumardi Azra.

Syafii said the country's largest Muslim organizations, NU and Muhammadiyah, guaranteed that the majority of Muslims in Indonesia were moderate and inclusive.

NU has almost 40 million members, while Muhammadiyah has 30 millions followers in the world's most populous Muslim country.

"They (Singapore) see Indonesian Muslims from afar, and these small groupings (of radicals) are very vocal, as if they represent the Muslim community.

"Goh says he will be very happy with the guarantee that the majority will determine the country's situation," Syafii said.

Hasyim said that during the meeting, the Muslim leaders tried to convince Goh that terrorism had nothing to do with religion.

"We expect foreign countries not to make this mistaken conclusion, and for Indonesian Muslims we hope they see the terrorism issue from a legal standpoint and see that those who are guilty should be punished," he said.

The Muslim preacher said he hoped the meeting would help Goh change his view of Indonesian Muslims, and not be deceived by the small radical groups.

During the meeting, the Muslim leaders also urged the leaders of Singapore to refrain from making comments linking Indonesian Muslims to terrorism.

"Most Indonesian Muslims are very concerned about such misperceptions," Hasyim said.