Liberal Indonesian Islamic scholar Ulil Abshar Abdalla said banning him from entering Malaysia will do little to stop the onset of Islamic progressive ideas.

 

"As sad as this ban might be, it won't work.

 

"The authorities might ban my entrance to Malaysia. But Islamic progressive ideas can't be stopped," he said in a series of tweets today.

"What may this ban tell us? It tells that conservative groups won't allow voices of difference to challenge them.

 

"What conservative groups want to do is to impose a mono-culture of conformism on Muslim society," he tweeted.

Ulil ( above ) was slated to speak at a roundtable on fundamentalism organised by the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 18.

 

Ironically, the forum is to be held at the premises of the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation, Prime Minister Najib Razak's centrepiece to showcase his Islamic 'moderation' worldwide.

 

However, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamid yesterday announced Ulil would be barred from entering the country.

 

"The police have received several reports that when he delivers lectures or attends programmes organised by non-government organisations, he would not only damage the faith of Muslims but also deviates from the teachings of Sunni wal Wajamaah (Shafie sect)," Bernama reported the minister saying.    

 

Ahmad Zahid said the ban would be enforced until he is found to be no longer a danger to Islam.   

 

He was likely responding to the Malaysian Islamic Development Department's (Jakim) call on Thursday for the ministry to put a stop to the forum titled 'Religious fundamentalism threat in this century'.

 

Jakim alleged that the forum was an "effort to bring in teachings that contravene the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah and can threaten the faith of Muslims in Malaysia".

 

Pointing out that the trend of Islamic conservatism seemed to be increasing in Malaysia, as in his home country, Ulil believes that this did not spell good news for Muslims in the Malay  archipelago (Nusantara).

"I am sad that this ban happens at a time when the Muslim society needs more dialogues to stem radicalism in their midst," said Ulil in his tweet.