Islamists Grip On Makasser
In Indonesia, the Islamists are up to it and they are starting to control local politics, essentially making it possible for them to moralize the society:
Taking it one step at a time in Makassar, a new law on the sale of alcohol in South Sulawesi has been agreed upon.
The law bans the sale of liquor, or miras, except in restaurants which display the sign “Talam Kencana” (gold service), and in three, four, and five star hotels. No alcohol may be sold within a 200 metre radius of a place of worship, a school, or a housing area. During the daylight hours alcohol can be sold between 12.00 and 15.00, and at night between 19.00 and 22.00.
All parties in the regional legislature have agreed upon the law, except the PPP, Partai Persatuan Pembangunan. One Arifuddin of the PPP said on the 29th, in a meeting attended by the mayor of Makassar Ilham Arief Sirajuddin, and his deputy A. Herry Iskandar, that his party rejected the law because it did not go far enough. In Islam, he said, alcohol was forbidden, therefore the law was unacceptable.
Basically, a lot of people deny that the presence of these fundamentalist religious groups negatively influence the society in order to restrict and take away freedom, but already prohibition campaigns have started in the country. The moralizing and the restrictions go further.
One day, they will be able to take more firm control of the politics.
I oppose these sorts of take overs.
September 10th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Hey Jake,
There was no good place to say this: Glad to see you migrated over to wordpress. I’ve always enjoyed your perspective and especially in writting. Make sure to keep writing, and make sure you let us know when you come back state side. Miss ya bud.
Eric