An Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) leader has said that the Islamic caliphate system often propagated by ultraconservative Muslim groups was not suitable for Indonesia, calling it outdated by standards of a modern democracy.

Ikhsan Abdulah, the deputy head of the council's law commission, said the caliphate political system was a legacy from the past, making the system, which is part of the campaign of hard-line group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), outdated.

“The caliphate system has lost its legitimacy in the world. It ended with the last of the Ottoman empire in Turkey, so it is not relevant anymore,” he said as quoted on tribunnews.com on Monday.

He explained that when the Ottoman empire ended, the caliphate system was no longer used and Turkey established modern state institutions.

He said that although the caliphate system contradicted the Pancasila state ideology and the Constitution, if brought up in the context of teaching history, it should not be banned by the government.

"What we must suspect and be wary of is what the HTI means by promoting the caliphate system in Indonesia," he said.

On May 5, the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister announced its plan to disband the HTI on the grounds that it was promoting the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in Indonesia, contravening the Pancasila state ideology and Constitution.

The announcement drew criticism from various groups calling for the government to comply with a law that requires the government to consult the courts before making such a decision. (dis/wit)