News
NU’s call shows distaste for swindlers, says Muslim figure
Jumat, 20 Agustus 2010 | 22:05 WIB
Jakarta, NU Online
A call by the country’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdatul Ulama (NU), for Islamic leaders to stop praying over deceased corruption convicts reflects public distaste over corruption by state officials, a Muslim figure says.
“The decision is a reflection of the public’s deep agitation and weariness [towards corruption],” said Syafi’i Ma’arif, the former head of Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Islamic organization in the country.r />
The idea was first voiced by the vice chairman of NU’s lawmaking body, Malik Madani, who prohibited the organization’s clerics from praying over those who had been sentenced for corruption. Members of NU affiliates could preside over the religious rituals instead, he said.
Syafi’i added that the public’s disgust was rooted in the government’s failure to combat corruption even though President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had promised to personally lead corruption eradication efforts during his 2004 election campaign.
He further added that he respected NU’s decision, saying that it could act as a deterrent.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said that as of June this year, there had been 176 corruption cases, a 104 percent increase compared to the 86 cases in same period in 2009. The amount of losses incurred by the state as a result of the graft increased almost 80 percent from Rp 1.17 trillion in 2009 to Rp 2.1 trillion in 2010. (jp/dar)
A call by the country’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdatul Ulama (NU), for Islamic leaders to stop praying over deceased corruption convicts reflects public distaste over corruption by state officials, a Muslim figure says.
“The decision is a reflection of the public’s deep agitation and weariness [towards corruption],” said Syafi’i Ma’arif, the former head of Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Islamic organization in the country.
The idea was first voiced by the vice chairman of NU’s lawmaking body, Malik Madani, who prohibited the organization’s clerics from praying over those who had been sentenced for corruption. Members of NU affiliates could preside over the religious rituals instead, he said.
Syafi’i added that the public’s disgust was rooted in the government’s failure to combat corruption even though President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had promised to personally lead corruption eradication efforts during his 2004 election campaign.
He further added that he respected NU’s decision, saying that it could act as a deterrent.
Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said that as of June this year, there had been 176 corruption cases, a 104 percent increase compared to the 86 cases in same period in 2009. The amount of losses incurred by the state as a result of the graft increased almost 80 percent from Rp 1.17 trillion in 2009 to Rp 2.1 trillion in 2010. (jp/dar)
