SE Asia’s Muslims urge American voters to reject Trump

Hurt and upset by Republican candidate Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks against Muslims and his proposal for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”, Indonesian and Islamic leaders in the Muslim-majority country are calling

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) senior official Cholil Ridwan said a president Trump would “undo all the good work done” by US President Barack Obama in improving bilateral relations. Obama is widely regarded as “native son” of Indonesia who is sensitive to Muslim issues. His mother married an Indonesian and he spent his childhood in Jakarta.

“Donald Trump’s campaign shows his hatred and rage against Muslims. He considers us his enemy. Well, since he rejects us, we will also reject him if he visits us,” Cholil told the UK’s Sunday Times.

Indonesia, with the world’s largest Muslim population, and Malaysia, with the second-largest in Southeast Asia, are angry and befuddled by Trump’s strong rhetoric against Muslims. Both countries are host to moderate forms of Islam.

In Indonesia, loud angry voices have reverberated through the social media and online forums, with many calling Trump racist, arrogant, “a demon disguised as human” and one who “belongs in hell”.

An online petition urging Indonesian President Joko Widodo to ban the billionaire and his businesses from the country has garnered more than 50,000 signatures so far in three months.

A Trump-owned luxury hotel chain last year partnered with local media giant PT Media Nusantara Citra to manage luxury hotels in West Java and Bali, marking its debut in Asia.

Political observers say Indonesians are more accepting of Clinton, whom they believe will maintain the status quo, but are indifferent towards Democratic rival Bernie Sanders since he is not a familiar figure.

Most Indonesian pundits believe Trump’s controversial remarks won’t affect trade relations between the two countries, while the pragmatic governance of Joko will maintain ongoing programmes whoever be comes next US president.

In Malaysia, Adnan Mansor, secretary-general of the ruling Malay-Muslim Umno, said: “I don’t understand Donald Trump. What is he trying to do? He shouldn’t come out with these sorts of statements [on Muslims].”

Takiyuddin Hassan, his counterpart in PAS, the largest Islamic party in the country, dismisses Trump’s stance on Muslims as grandstanding.

A January survey of Americans’ attitudes towards Muslims conducted by the US think-tank Pew Research Centre showed a wide split, with Republicans showing far greater antipathy towards Islam than Democrats. However, the majority of respondents overall expressed disagreement with Trump’s sweeping criticism of Islam.