Govt to keep an eye on alleged anti-Shiite movements

Nasaruddin Umar: Deputy Religious Affairs Minister.
(Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)

The government will monitor anti-Shiite groups in the regions of West Java and East Java "very seriously", Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar has warned.

Nasaruddin said that outlawing the Shia sect would be “a very serious problem”, arguing that even conservative Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia have never banned the denomination.

“We must also be very careful with this issue, because it may disturb our relations with countries like Iran, which has many citizens who follow the Shia teachings,” he said in response to anti-Shiite sentiments in West Java and East Java.