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