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Indonesia plans to tighten vetting of senior public servants amid fears that hardline Islamist ideology has permeated high levels of government, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and a senior official involved in the plan.
Indonesia is officially secular, but there has been a rise in politicians demanding a larger role for Islam in the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, with some groups calling for an Islamic state. The rise in conservatism was a major test for President Joko Widodo in the April election, with some Islamist groups accusing him of being anti-Islam and throwing their support behind political rivals, including challenger Prabowo Subianto.
Widodo was re-elected for a second term but voting patterns revealed deepening divisions between areas known for a moderate following of Islam and conservative Muslim regions that backed Prabowo. The senior government official, who is part of a team formulating the new vetting policy, said Widodo intends it to be a part of his legacy of ensuring Indonesia remains a model for moderate Islam. The official said the president strongly believed that radical Islam threatened the state apparatus as well as the future of democracy. The vetting plan was a big priority for him, said the official, who declined to be identified.
"He wants that before the next election in 2024, hardline and radical elements be weeded out to aim for a healthier democracy," said the official. Widodo's office did not respond to requests for comment.
According to the documents reviewed by Reuters, the government wants to introduce stricter background checks and a new psychological test to gauge candidates' political leanings - especially for those seeking promotions to the top two rungs of the bureaucracy. The official said the plan will be rolled out by the end of the year at 10 of the country's biggest ministries by budget and several state-owned enterprises.
