By: Aulia Hawa )*
Religious moderation is certainly very necessary for a country as diverse as Indonesia. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the role of religious leaders to intensify religious moderation.
Throughout 2021, the government has found as many as 27 civil servants (PNS) who are proven to have committed acts of radicalism. Even though it is clear that civil servants are strictly prohibited from being involved in acts of radicalism both on social media and in other activities.
Tony Surya Putra as special staff to the Minister of PAN-RB (State Apparatus Empowerment-Bureaucracy Reform) stated that acts of radicalism are attitudes of intolerance, anti-Pancasila so anti-NKRI unity.
In the YouTube channel of the PAN-RB Ministry, he explained that groups that embrace radicalism are those who want to replace the Pancasila ideology with the ideology that is believed to be the most correct, so that people who do not follow their ideology are considered to be classified as unbelievers.
He also appealed to ASN to be able to sort out their relationships, both in the office environment and at the place of residence in order to avoid radicalism. ASN also should not be easily provoked by news on social media that only aims to provoke anti-Pancasila or anti-NKRI. He said, if there are posts on social media that contain hate speech, they should be avoided, just read and don’t like or share.
There are 3 circulars (SE) issued by the Minister of PAN-RB Tjahjo Kumolo so that ASN can avoid radicalism. First, SE MenPan-RB Number 137 of 2018 concerning the dissemination of information through social media.
There are provisions that are regulated, that social media must adhere to the ideology of Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, serve the state professionally and impartially, maintain and uphold ethical standards, basic values of reputation and integrity.
Second, SE No. 2 2021 which prohibits ASN from affiliated with prohibited organizations or organizations that have been declared disbanded by the government. Lastly, the SE concerns the management of places of worship in offices at K/L or Regional Governments. So that all places of worship such as mosques and other non-Muslim places of worship, all lecturers who fill activities are recommended from internal ASN, even if from outside they must be selective.
If you refer to the memory of the post-New Order era, the Indonesian people have also entered a new phase, namely a phase where freedom is getting stronger, the faucet of freedom seems to be transformed into unlimited freedom. This freedom has become a radical force, both left and right.
At that time Wahhabism suddenly overflowed, starting from campuses centered on campus mosques, even fostering radicalism, distorting religious interpretations and the ideals of establishing an Islamic State of Indonesia.
The radicalist movement continues to try to delegitimize Joko Widodo’s government. Incitement and hoaxes are their daily menu with religious packaging. They seem to want to build a narrative as if the Joko Widodo government is hostile to Islam and Ulama. Whereas as we know, the vice president of the Republic of Indonesia is a cleric who has served as the highest leader in NU who has clearly represented Islamic values.
We also cannot close our eyes that the problem of intolerance that occurs in Indonesia is still a serious problem. The potential for clashes, conflicts and violence with the nuances of primordial differences is still quite high, both offline and online. In 2022, it is time for this nation to end conflicts between ethnic groups, any different religions wrapped in intolerance. Moreover, civil servants as state servants must of course show an example for the wider community not to be easily provoked by radicalism and intolerance.
Head of the Legal, Communication and Public Information Bureau of the PAN-RB Ministry, Mohammad Averrouce, said that the sanctions for radical civil servants referred to the Republic of Indonesia government regulation number 94 of 2021 concerning civil servant discipline.
The lightest punishment is a warning either verbally, in writing or a written statement of dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, the moderate disciplinary punishment consists of a 25% reduction in allowances for 6 months. Finally, the type of severe disciplinary punishment consists of a reduction in position for at least 12 months, release from his position to become an executive for 12 months and honorable dismissal not at his own request.
For this reason, religious leaders have an important role so that religious moderation can be realized, so that the Indonesian people can live more peacefully without the threat of intolerant actions.
)* The author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute