Indonesian muslims are 'moderate'
That's how The Washington Times editors look at the recent LSI's survey. Note that they put moderate between quotes. They write:
So, even though the survey finds that 70 percent of Indonesians favor Indonesia's current secular system of law Pancasila, according to The Washington Times' editors, "when the aggregate numbers of people are factored in, the study looks considerably more disturbing".More than two-thirds of Indonesians favor the country's current secular system of law, according to a privately funded nationwide survey by the Indonesian Survey Circle, a pollster. If that seems like good news, read it this way: This means there are "only" about 82 million Indonesians who favor Shariah... And while Indonesia's religious and cultural climate is justifiably regarded as moderate in comparison to much of the rest of the Muslim world -- and its government is a very useful ally against terrorism -- the numbers still leave plenty of room for concern.
I guess, by similar token, since about 45 millions Americans (15 percent)1 do not think that "democracy is better than any other form of government", the future of democracy in US is, really, considerably worrisome.
This kind of analysis -- it's just beautiful, isn't it?
By the way, the survey's finding that "more than two-thirds of Indonesians favor the country's current secular system of law" does not mean that "there are 'only' about 82 million Indonesians who favor Shariah". The Washington Times editors are simply wrong.
LSI reports that 69.6 percent of Indonesians favor Pancasila, 11.5 percent favor Islamic country like those in the the Middle East, 3.5 percent favor Western style system of law, and the rest, about 15 percent of them, do not respond or do not have any preference.
The Times's editor should have written that "there are about 28 millions Indonesians (out of 246 millions) who favor Shariah".
Survey
Indonesia 
1More accurately, according to the 1999 survey, 12.2 percent of Americans disagree or strongly disagree that "democracy may have problems but it's better than any other form of government". About three percent of them say they "don´t know".
6 comments:
And even among those 28 million who favor Sharia a considerable number of people will not be in favor of the harsh Saudi interpretation.
I guess. I hope.
Stupid editorial!
Poor journalism by the WP, I agree.
The point is, I guess, that ALTHOUGH a small percentage of Indonesians favor Sharia law there IS an impact.
Look at Indonesian society and you can see that extremists, though small in number can, have an effect.
ie: Sharia laws in Padang & Aceh, the idea to ban gossip shows, SMS, segregation of male and female students in some parts of Indonesia, the anti-porno law that would make the kebaya illegal, etc etc.
That's true, IndCoup. But, why don't they just say so? (This also applies to people at IndoMatters).
There is no need to distort the survey results, or to bend the analysis, just to suit one's opinion.
Why don't people provide more balanced analysis. When the survey in 1999 was published that 12 or more percent of Americans "do not support Democracy", I don't think they would write that "the aggregate numbers of people are factored in, the study looks considerably more disturbing".
Why is it when it's about Indonesian muslims, suddently it matters? This kind of analysis is just unbelieveable.
And why do people, it seems, expect too much from Indonesia's democracy? It's been only a few years old, for God's sake. Or do they think that democracy is always perfect?
Btw, I don't think NU calls for any gov't laws banning gossip shows as you seem to suggest. But, it's another story.
My point is this: Indonesian muslims have problems, all right. (Others may have problems too, btw). There's no need to paint a picture that make us look much worse. Distorting the picture just to make us uglier is insulting, to say the least.
And you know what, people should not distort the picture of Indonesian muslims if they really want to engange us muslims. They will definitely failed. Unless of course enganging us is not what they want.
(I mean, go ahead, paint an uglier picture of us if they just want us to look uglier. But, one thing for sure, they are not helping moderate and liberal muslims. But again, it doesn't matter if they are not really care).
Btw, the editorial is Washington Times', not WP.
Enough said! This issue is not really my specialty :) I only know a little about economics. You guys do whatever you want do. I don't care anymore. Cheers!
Agree :)
Cheers!!
Let's not get worked up on an editorial by a tabloid that because of its name (Washington Times) is oftentimes mistaken for a quality newspaper (e.g. Washington Post or New York Times). not mix up the quality newspaper Washington Post with the tabloid Washington Times!!
It doesn't stand for what people in America think at all. I am not saying americans are understanding the world or Indonesia (not at all!!), but let us not get angry with the ignorant, just because they want to sell some newspapers..
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