Indonesia Condemns Macron's Statements on Islam

Natasia Christy Wahyuni, Dion Bisara
October 31, 2020 | 9:21 am
SHARE
French President Emmanuel Macron (File Photo/Ludovic Marin)
French President Emmanuel Macron (File Photo/Ludovic Marin)

Jakarta. Indonesia has condemned the statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, which was deemed disrespectful toward Islam and the Muslim community worldwide, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Friday. 

"Indonesia condemns the statements made by the President of France that is disrespectful towards Islam and the Muslim community worldwide," the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"The statement has offended over 2 billion Muslims globally and has sparked division among different faiths in the world," the ministry said. 

The ministry did not specify Macron's statement that is deemed disrespectful. Macron has drawn angry responses from Muslim leaders and falls for boycotts on French products in the Muslim world after suggesting that "Islam is a religion in crisis" in a speech on Oct 2

Advertisement

The speech was actually about what he called Islamist separatism, an ideology wielded by some Muslims in France who tried to asserts religious laws and threaten the country's secularism principle. 

"I do not ask any of our citizens to believe or not to believe, to believe a little or moderately, it is not the business of the Republic, but I ask any citizen, whatever his religion or not, to respect absolutely all the laws of the Republic," Macron said. 

"And there is in this radical Islamism [...] a methodical organization to contravene the laws of the Republic and create a parallel order, to erect other values, develop another organization of society, separatist at first, but whose final goal is to take control, complete it. And it is what makes us gradually come to reject freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, the right to blasphemy," the French president said. 

The speech came in light of rising tension in the country following Islamist terrorists attract in recent times. These include an attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo office in Paris in 2015, killing 12. 

Two weeks after the speech, an 18-year-old Muslim refugee killed and beheaded Samuel Paty with a knife. Paty was a school teacher who days earlier showed Charlie Hebdo's caricatures of the Islam Prophet Muhammad to his classes as part of a lesson about freedom of expression. 

On Thursday, another attack happened on Notre Dame Basilica in Nice, killing three congregation members. Less than a kilometer from the church, 86 people lost their lives when an attacker drove a truck into a crowd in 2016.

Global Response

Still, macron comment about Islam and the right of blasphemy has drawn fire from Muslim leaders worldwide. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — who has been exchanging strong words with Macron in recent months on various issues ranging from the Cyprus conflict, oil in the eastern Mediterranean, and the Azerbaijan-Armenian conflict — wasted no time in attacking Macron for his comment about Islam. Erdogan called the French president Islamophobic, questioned his mental health, and called for a boycott of French products. 

Mahathir Mohamad, a two-time Malaysian prime minister, also caused a stir on social media for his response to Macron comments. 

"Muslims have a right to be angry and to kill millions of French people for the massacres of the past," Mahathir in a tweet on Thursday. Twitter removed this tweet tweet for violation of the platform's terms and conditions. 

"But by and large, the Muslims have not applied the “eye for an eye” law. Muslims don’t. The French shouldn’t. Instead, the French should teach their people to respect other people’s feelings," he said in a subsequent tweet. 

Indonesia took a similar position to Mahathir's. 

"Freedom of expression should not be exercised in ways that tarnish the honor, sanctity, and sacredness of religious values and symbols," the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry said. 
 
"As the largest Muslim-populated country and the third-largest democracy in the world, Indonesia urges the global community to put forward unity and religious tolerance, particularly amidst the on-going pandemic.," the ministry said. 

Tags: Keywords:
SHARE

Related Articles


News May 7, 2025 | 9:19 pm

Friedrich Merz Stresses European Unity and Defense During First Trip As German Chancellor to Paris

Merz and Macron vowed to strengthen the continent's security and increase defense spending.
News Mar 31, 2025 | 11:29 pm

French Far-Right Leader Marine Le Pen Barred from Seeking Office for 5 Years

The chief judge said Le Pen had been at the heart of “a system” that her party used to siphon off EU parliament funds.
News Mar 27, 2025 | 4:35 am

Proposed European Force for Ukraine Could 'Respond' If Attacked by Russia: Macron

“Our soldiers, when they are engaged and deployed, are there to react and respond to the decisions of the commander in chief," Macron said.
News Mar 26, 2025 | 4:42 pm

Prabowo, French Foreign Minister Meet Ahead of Macron's Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Indonesia in May.
Business Mar 26, 2025 | 2:00 pm

France's Macron to Visit Indonesia in May for Critical Mineral, Food Investment

French top diplomat Jean-Noël Barrot says that his president Emmanuel Macron will also bring some new investment in transportation.
News Mar 9, 2025 | 9:32 pm

Macron's Diplomatic Comeback: From France's Domestic Crisis to Reshaping Europe's Defense

Six months ago, Macron seemed weaker than ever after his call for early legislative elections produced a hung parliament.
News Mar 3, 2025 | 1:27 am

World Leaders Gather in London to Reaffirm Support for Ukraine

Starmer announced that the UK will use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export financing to supply 5,000 air defense missiles.
News Mar 2, 2025 | 7:20 pm

UK, France and Ukraine Agree to Work on Ceasefire Plan after White House Fiasco

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin but does trust Donald Trump.
News Feb 26, 2025 | 1:20 pm

Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad Visits Jokowi in Solo

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his daughter, Marina Mahathir, visited Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at his residence in Solo.
News Feb 21, 2025 | 11:59 pm

Macron's Message to Trump: 'You Can’t Be Weak in The Face of Putin'

Macron will travel to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday, the White House said.

The Latest


Lifestyle 59 minutes ago

The Elderly, The Poor, and The Convert: The Chosen Few Answer the Call of Hajj

Poor, old, or newly converted—many Indonesians spend decades chasing the dream of Hajj. For some, 2025 is finally their moment
Business 2 hours ago

'Not in Our Name': Kadin Probes Alleged Intimidation in $1B Petrochemical Project

Kadin launches probe after viral video shows alleged extortion by local businessmen at Chandra Asri's $1 billion Cilegon project.
Lifestyle 3 hours ago

Review: ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ Proves Why the Franchise Never Dies

Unlike its characters, "Final Destination" manages to cheat death even after all these years.
News 4 hours ago

Police Arrest 27 for Looting Palm Fruit from Central Kalimantan Plantation

In addition to looting, the suspects have burned a company security post and taken the firm’s security guards hostage, police said.
News 5 hours ago

Indonesia’s Top Islamic Body Rejects Proposal to Legalize Casinos

An MUI leader said the casino issue is not merely legal but deeply rooted in moral and spiritual values.
COPYRIGHT © 2025 JAKARTA GLOBE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED