Moral illiteracy threat to nation: Muhammadiyah chair

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin asserted that moral illiteracy was the biggest threat facing the nation.

"Moral illiteracy is more dangerous than [reading] illiteracy because it inflicts all layers of society, including the elite and educated," Din said at the opening of the 47th Muhammadiyah Congress in Yogyakarta on Saturday.

This disease, he said, is the cause of many of the nation’s ills not least of which the widespread corruption in the society.

As it celebrated it centennial founding, Muhammadiyah would step up its fight as a source of enlightenment and work for public education to fight for a prosperous and just nation, Din added.

Din is favored to retain his chairmanship of Muhammadiyah which, along with Nahdlatul Ulama, represents the country's biggest and oldest Islamic organizations.

Many Muhammadiyah figures have been recognized as vanguards of moderate Islam and progressive thought.