Yamisa seen as illegal

Yamisa seen as illegal

PAREPARE, South Sulawesi: The local administration called the
Ahli Sunnah Waljamaah Islamic Mission (Yamisa), which has offered
financial assistance to locals, an illegal organization as its
operations have raised suspicions among locals and the
administration.

"The Muslim organization has yet to be registered in the local
administration, while it has promised Rp 400,000 to everyone for
unstated reasons," Muin Syam, a senior official at the local
administration, said here on Thursday.

He said the organization's empty promises had made local
people lazy and its operations could raise confusion among them.

"Yamisa is an illegal organization and local people should not
be influenced easily by its empty promises," he said.

He said he would ask the local police to investigate the
organization and its activities.

"We will also summon Abdur Rachman, chairman of the
organization, to clarify the organization's mission in the
regency," he said.

The West Nusa Tenggara administration has also condemned
Yamisa as an illegal organization because of its unclear mission
in the province. The organization has recruited a number of local
Muslims to be its functionaries by promising them Rp 400,000 per
month. But, so far, no one has benefited financially from the
organization. --Antara