By : Rahmat Gunawan *)
In line with the Executive Director of the Indonesian Moderate Network (JMI), Islah Bahrawi who reminded the potential for houses of worship to be ridden by groups of radicalism, extremism, and terrorism, the author argues that this potential can occur because normatively religious activities are centered in houses of worship.
However, according to the author, the potential spread can occur in any religious house of worship. This is due to the polarization of radicalism and extremism in all religions and groups with this understanding want to control the center of community activity from places of worship.
The author agrees and commends the government’s efforts to embrace religious figures and sterilize houses of worship from radical groups to tackle the spread of radicalism and extremism in the name of religion.
One example of the efforts made to prevent radicalism in the community, the Ngawi Police also conduct visits to places of worship and carry out religious social services. As the Head of the Ngawi Police, AKBP I Wayan Winaya, said, when you wake up from the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t let the seeds of radicalism and intolerance grow in Ngawi.
The author also found that the Ngawi Resort Police carried out social service activities such as cleaning the environment of houses of worship, being hospitable and providing infrastructure assistance. Such as worship tools, building materials and cleaning tools as well as food packages. This action by the Ngawi Police can reduce the spread of radicalism because by carrying out blusukan and social services, it will prevent the entry of radicalism in the worship environment.
From the author’s point of view, the efforts made by the Ngawi Police can be applied throughout Indonesia. This is to minimize the movement of radical groups to enter places of worship to incite the public with radical and extremist understandings. Likewise, the public will realize how dangerous these radical groups are to the integrity and security of our country.
Therefore, the struggle to prevent radicalism in these places of worship must not stop. The hope is not only that the public will be aware, but that the existing radical groups will soon disappear from this nation.
*The author is a contributor to the Mulia Institute
