To weed out Islamists from bureaucracy, Indonesia to vet public servants

The government wants to introduce stricter background checks and a new psychological test to gauge candidates’ political leanings

An official said Widodo intends the policy to be a part of his legacy of ensuring the country remains a model for moderate Islam

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:03am, 22 Jun 2019Updated: 1:41pm, 12 Dec 2019

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.