Jakarta, NU Onlilne
Foreign Deputy Minister Dino Patti Djalal says Muslims in Indonesia should realize that they are role models for Muslims across the globe.<>

“I think Muslims [in the country] must realize they are role models for the [Islamic] world because they have different colors,” he said in Ponorogo, East Java on Thursday evening, on the sidelines of a ministry event, as quoted by Antara news agency.

He defined Indonesian Muslims’ “different colors” as values that they held, such as moderation, progressivism and brilliance.

Based on his observations, he said some Muslims from other countries had lost their Muslim identity, which saw them easily provoked, creating conflicts in their countries.

“They need role models to follow and Muslims in Indonesia can become the reference,” he added.

Dino, who was Indonesian ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2013, said Indonesia would see tremendous progress if Indonesian Muslims kept their values intact.

He visited Darussalam Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School in Ponorogo, East Java with other officials from the ministry on Thursday evening.

The group will visit Islamic boarding schools and Islamic universities in Java from Sept. 3 to Sept. 6to promote Indonesia’s role in international arena and the protection of Indonesian nationals overseas.

Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population. According to Pew Research Center data in 2010, Indonesia was home to 12.7 percent of the world’s Muslims.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq