Scholar OKs with NU chairman on tackling radicalism

Yogyakarta, NU Online
A scholar from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Muhadjir Darwin, said that he did agree with the measures taken by the General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Said Aqil Siradj in dealing with radicalism.

He was of the view  that NU seemed to be the only player able to prevent radicalism because he did not see any other organization being as courageous as the NU in maintaining moderate Islam and firmly criticizing radical Islam.

According to him that the role of moderate Islamic figures in politics has waned, while radical Islam has risen on the political stage, saying that "this is the time for “peace-loving” Muslims to step in and take serious measures to prevent religious radicalism."

The senior researcher at UGM’s Center for Demography and Policy, said only moderate Islam should be nurtured and allowed to grow in Indonesia if the nation wanted to maintain its current multicultural character.

“We want a country with a multicultural character like we have now in Indonesia to be maintained,” he said on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

"Muhammadiyah is no longer speaking about it. I regret this very much. If the radicalization of Islam is given space, we will become the Balkans or the Middle East. Poso and Maluku have experienced it," he said.

"It’s on a regional scale, not national. But if we don’t do anything, like what is happening in Jakarta, the impact will be bigger for national politics," Muhadjir said. (Masdar)