MUI Leader Regrets Blocking of Islamic Websites

Jakarta (Antara) -- An Islamic leader expressed disappointment here on Tuesday over the recent blocking of a number of Islamic websites for allegedly spreading radical ideology. "The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) should not have acted like that. Blocking websites will only spread more radicalism because it has caused disappointment. It is not impossible that after blocking 22 websites, 22 thousand more cannot emerge," General Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) Din Syamsuddin said. The government was too hasty to block the websites, he stated, adding, "No dialog was carried out before, and the websites were blocked all of a sudden. The move was executed without any prior notice or holding consultations with parties concerned." Syamsuddin deplores the action and considers it unwise. He believes that the blocked Islamic websites were moderate and not linked with the violence the BNPT accused them of. "There are a lot of other websites that carry negative content and need to be dealt with, including several that attack Islam. There are provocative and pornographic websites, as well," he pointed out. Moreover, Syamsuddin hopes that the government, through a number of its ministries and institutions, is more careful with blocking Islamic websites because if it is hasty, it creates the possibility of reviving a repressive spirit against democracy. "The government cannot just implement such a move without giving prior notice. This was like a hit-and-run act. It was repressive. It would have been better had the government issued a summons before taking any action. It should not damage the harmony in the community," the MUI general chairman remarked. (*) Reporting by Anom Prihantoro