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Issues: `No need to ban FPI'
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) says that there is no need to ban the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) despite the latter's continuous violent methods in preaching supposedly peaceful Islamic teachings
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em>The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) says that there is no need to ban the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) despite the latter's continuous violent methods in preaching supposedly peaceful Islamic teachings.
"Let the law handle the *FPI*. As long as the police are firm on them, there is no need for them to become an illegal organization," PKS senior politician Agus Purnomo told reporters over the phone Tuesday.
Agus said that FPI's brutality often came as a result of the police's ignorance. Agus also denied that FPI members were a vital part of his party's constituents.
"The majority of our voters are not from the FPI," he said. Previously, a caucus of legislators coming from various parties at the House of Representatives officially launched a statement demanding the FPI be banned.
The PKS, which recently announced it would be more pluralist, had none of its legislators signing the statement. So is the case with the United Development Party (PPP), another Islamic party, and the relatively inclusive National Mandate Party (PAN).
The only Islamic party to have signed the statement was the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was founded by the country's most prominent pluralist figure, the late Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.
The latest violent conduct made by the FPI was the ousting of three legislators during a free health clinic event. The FPI suspected the event was a reunion of the now disbanded Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members.
Your comments:
The prophet even protects Jews, Christian, and other non-Muslims, as long as they submit to the Islamic rules, but if they break the Islamic rules or violate God's law, are immoral or sin, action will be taken against them. I'm not an FPI member, I'm just an ordinary Muslim and I learn Islam.
The existence of the FPI is needed. So they must not be banned because their existence is aimed at improving the morality of the nation based on Islamic teaching.
Ridwan
Bandung
Dear policeman, the PKS and the FPI are calling you guys ignorant and stupid for not enforcing the law on the FPI. Can you please put every single one of those violent criminals into jail so the rest of Indonesia can live in harmony? You would be doing this nation a huge favor so this nation can grow and prosper in peace.
Richard
Jakarta
Ridwan, your logic baffles me. It's clear that the FPI does not and will not improve the nation's Islamic teachings by condoning violence. There's no need to submit to a particular religious teaching or rule. Last time I checked, Indonesia was a free country.
Yes, sure, the majority of people practice Islam but that doesn't mean the rest of us have to follow it. It is a free country after all. I have respect for people who practice and preach other religions.
I will not mock their religions and put my religion on top of others. They are all equal! Religions are being used as tool of propaganda here. Wake up and live in the present. Just like any other bad fruits in the basket, we need to get rid of them!
H.T.
Melbourne
With the PKS, the PPP and PAN not agreeing to sign the statement it would now appear obvious where the FPI is getting its political support from.
Dennis
Surabaya
It seems the PKS haven't really changed their stance, they just want more votes.
Bilbo
Jakarta
