Page 6 - KLIPINGBELMAWA31052019PAGI

Observers have raised concerns over the LDK’s teachings as the organization trains rohis or students who become Islamic study assistants in extra-curricular activities in high schools. Such rohis frequently join the LDK once they enter universities.
“The LDK is massive and conservative, and being conservative is only one step away from being extremist. Once the members are exposed to the networks and narratives, they turn extreme,” Ansori said.
In a 2016 survey conducted by the Wahid Foundation and the Religious Affairs Ministry of more than 1,600 rohis participants as respondents, it was found that 33 percent of them defined jihad as a holy war against non-Muslims, 41 percent would support any cause to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state under a caliphate, while 60 percent would go on jihad to countries like Syria if they had the chance.
A psychologist from the University of Indonesia and an expert member of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Hamdi Muluk, said that students must be exposed to a variety discourses to prevent them from adopting extremist teachings.
“Students should refrain from having singular identities, such as only being rohis. They should be in contact with various groups, so that they will naturally grow to become open-minded,” he said during the discussion.
Saiful shared this sentiment, adding that the solution might also help address another issue that is heavily linked to campus radicalism, which is intolerant teachers.
A 2018 study by the PPIM found that more than 50 percent of Muslim teachers promoted intolerant views. Teachers who joined the LDK in university had a higher tendency to have intolerant views than those who joined the GMNI, Saiful cited.
“Banning the LDK would only be counterproductive. Universities should understand the map of student movements better and supervise them,” Saiful said.
Ansori echoed the statement, adding that universities should go as far as to heighten monitoring of campus mosques, where more radical groups such as the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and the Indonesian Islamic State (NII) could also spread their teachings and recruit members. (ars)