REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A legislator said he regretted the blocking of a number of Islamic websites without sufficient clarification.
"Arbitrary blocking of Islamic websites is greatly regrettable. It is tantamount to returning to repressive and authoritarian regim of the New Order," Almuzzammil Yusuf of the Commission I of the Parliament said here on Wednesday. He referred to the authoritarian administration of President Suharto.
The Communications and Information Ministry blocked the websites on recommendation from the the National Anti Terrorist Agency (BNPT).
Muzzammil said the government should first warned and summon the owners of the websiteS for dialogs before starting the crackdown.
The owners of the websites should be given the right to clarify, and if they refuse to be cooperative the government could THEN take the necessary measure, he said.
"Their refusal to cooperate could be exposed for the public to take record," he said.
He said BNPT should coordinate with the Communications and Information Ministry to determine which of the websites are against Islamic teaching.
Opinions of experts, religious leaders and the Indonesian Council of Islamic Scholars (MUI) should be heard, he added.
The Commissions I, III and VIII will demand explanation from the the Communications and Information Minister, Religious Affairs Minister and BNPT about the crackdown on the websites.
The blocking of websites was part of the government measure to prevent the spread of the ISIS influence in the world's largest Muslim country.
The government has been worried with large number of Indonesians visiting Middle East as tourists to join the ISIS.
A survey showed there is a sympathizer of ISIS for every 14 high school students in Jakarta and Bandung.
The military vowed to wage war on the followers of ISIS, which has threatened to kill the president and other Indonesian leaders.
"The TNI (Indonesian military) believes ISIS should not be given room anywhere," TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko said.
The Indonesian police are still busy hunting for Islamic terrorist in the country.
Poso in Central Sulawesi has been the hotbed of homegrown terrorist group which has declared allegiance to ISIS.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Commission VIII of the Parliament Saleh Partaonan Daulay asked the operators of Islamic websites, suspected of spreading radicalism to openly counter the allegation against them if they feel being unfairly treated.
Saleh also asked all followers of any religious faiths not to be provoked by conflicting opinions about the blocking of the Islamic websites even if the measure has been seen being unfair to certain religious group.
"Religious harmony must be maintained. The prevailing social political situation could be easily exploited to create conflict by irresponsible people." he said.
He calls on Islamic community not to pay heed to call for demonstrations that would only hurt the public in general.
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