by Mathias Hariyadi

The chairman of the Sharia Economic Society has proposed the creation of specific services in accordance with Muslim law in the most visited Indonesian island. The idea, he says, works from an economic standpoint because it attracts visitors requiring "halal services". Numerous criticisms have been raised in the archipelago: "Do not ruin Bali, a place of tolerance and encounter".

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Making Bali, the most visited tourist destination in Indonesia, a tourist center "in line with Islamic Sharia", is a proposal of Muliaman Hadad, president of the Sharia Economic Society (Mes) Indonesian, who spoke from Denpasar, the capital of the island. The idea is to implement a number of specific services according to the most rigid dictates of Islamic law.

"Bali is made for it, why not try? At least seven million people - says Hadad - visit Bali every year, and three million are from abroad. So why not organize a tourism in line with Sharia as they do in Malaysia and Thailand and other countries in the Middle East? ".



The Muslim businessman was keen to stress that the proposal does not have to deal directly with religion, but aims to increase revenue and volume of visitors. The idea, he says, is a winner from the economic point of view, because it also would attract that segment of consumers who require special treatment such as, for example, halal services [permissible ed]. Muliaman Hadad made the request to the Mes President of Bali to seriously consider the proposal.

Although Hadad assured that the idea is not to establish a "more Muslim Bali", many complaints have been raised in the archipelago by the civil society and beyond. Students, workers in the tourism sector and politicians (including former police chief of Bali) have spoken out against the creation of a tourism obedient to Sharia.

Bali is the only Hindu majority place in Indonesia, the Islamic tradition and customs of the country and modern Western tourists coexist peacefully, making it an oasis of tolerance. Hindus are free to practice their religion in public, and in past years the island has welcomed refugees fleeing the sectarian clashes that took place in Jakarta, who were ethnic Chinese or Christians.