Gated Muslim Communities & Halal Cities
Jul 27th, 2009, in News, by Patung
Muslim only housing estates and gated communities in Jakarta and surrounds, and Halal Bogor.
Perumahan Muslim
In Jakarta and its satellite cities of Depok, Tangerang, and Bogor there is said to be a growing trend towards Muslims choosing to live in Islamic themed housing estates, with names often prefaced with the term “Perumahan Muslim”, such as:
- Permata Darussalam
- Pesona Madani
- Mawar Residence
- Islamic Village (Villa Ilhami)
- Griya Islami (Griya Citra Permai)
- Telaga Sakinah
- Puri Insani
- Ar-Royan
The phenomenon is not new, – nor of course confined to Jakarta, – with some of the above listed estates dating back to 1995 (Griya Islami in Tangerang) and 1996 (Telaga Sakinah in Bekasi and Villa Ilhami in Tangerang).
A resident of one of these communities, Permata Darussalam in Depok, Fithri Mayasari, 24, says she finds it relaxing and enjoyable in a Muslim only environment, and prefers that her baby daughter grow up in an Islamic atmosphere.
Filani Dzikri, marketing manager for Permata Darussalam Group, says only Muslim buyers are welcome, and before house purchases are made potential owners must agree to later only sell or rent their property to other Muslims.
He says each sub-division of the community has its own mosque, and that toilets are especially constructed so as not to face to kiblat, or the direction of Mecca, but instead be parallel to it.
Although the houses are in the moderately expensive range of 250-500 million rupiah Filani says demand is strong, particularly from young couples, and about 20 units are sold each month. jakartapost
Halal Bogor
Meanwhile in Bogor as long ago as March 2008 M. Nadratuzzaman Hosen of the Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics (Pengkajian Pangan Obat-Obatan dan Kosmetika Majelis Ulama Indonesia (LPPOM-MUI)), said the MUI had decided to make Bogor an example city, the first truly halal city in Indonesia.
Bogor had been chosen, he said while speaking at an event called “Pelatihan Da’i Ekonomi Syariah” at the Pusat Pengembangan Islam Bogor (PPIB), because there were so many food stalls and restaurants in the city, with new ones popping up every day, and many people came from Jakarta to eat in Bogor, like along Jalan Pajajaran, and it was important that Muslim consumers be protected from eating non-halal food.
Nadratuzzaman Hosen said he hoped that the city council would get behind the “halal city” idea, while glancing in the direction of Bogor mayor H. Diani Budiarto, who was in attendance. pkesinteraktif
Mayor Diani Budiarto
Mayor Diani Budiarto, elected in 2008 with 64.6% supported by a coalition of Justice Party (PKS), Golkar, and PDI-P, apparently took notice and by mid 2009 had begun to put the Halal City program into practice, by banning the processing of pigs at the Bogor slaughterhouse, and banning pig farming generally.
The old slaughterhouse in Kebon Pedes can still be used for pig processing, however it appears the city government intends to later ban pigs entirely from the city, if not their meat, the consumption of which is still permitted. jakartapost
37 Comments on “Gated Muslim Communities & Halal Cities”
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sputjam says:
If prophet Mohamed were to deliver his messages in any present day muslim country, he would be persecuted in similar manner he was persecuted in 700ad by the pagan arabs. Jesus too would have suffered similar fate.
The message in the koran is for freedom of faith and thoughts, and oppose the injustice being done by people who profess religion, especially by the priests and imams. The arabs during the time of mohamed could not accept this message. They would lose control over the masses if the majority had understood and accepted mohamed’s message of freedom from religious opression.
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Pena Budaya says:
This housing issue really bothers me. It sounds it discriminates other religions.
I guess Bogor has hidden agenda to apply sharia law anytime soon…becoming a halal city is just the beginning..
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pozzie says:
Which koran has sputjam been reading I wonder?
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Mayor Diani Budiarto, elected in 2008 with 64.6% supported by a coalition of Justice Party (PKS), Golkar, and PDI-P
Weird threesome; it’s like having a gay guy, a tranny, and a hetero women playing together….
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Andy says:
In western societies this practice (segregation) is known as apartheid and frowned upon by the majority. Only the likes of the KKK etc agree with this way. And if this happened I bet the first to jump up and cry ‘racist’ would be muslim communities. While western countries have denounced such policies since the 1950s Indonesia seems to want to go back to this era and then keep going backwards again. These are indeed worrying times.
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This is a blow to Indonesia of our dreams, this is an attack to our common house. I have no more sympathy toward PDIP and Golkar if they maintain their support for the Mayor.
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Oigal says:
On the plus side..best thing about Gated Communities…Is the humanists amongst us can lock the gates and keep them in.
“In western societies this practice (segregation) is known as apartheid and frowned upon by the majority”
Bit of a long bow Andy! Actually gated communtities are pretty much wide spread in the West although more to income than race/religion in most instances. What is interesting was the oft repeated line in Indonesia that other ethnic groups brought violence upon themselves by not “mixing in” and assimilating.
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Komang Priambada says:
The Mayor had a very narrow of thinking and not a quality leader! a leader should accommodate diversity and his office should remain having Garuda with Bhineka Tunggal Ika as the way of life. Pity Bogor, a tourist destination of those from Jakarta might think twice before visit to Bogor in the future.
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Rowan says:
In western societies this practice (segregation) is known as apartheid
Actually, if you think of one of the most infamous examples, South Africa, Apartheid is a segregation imposed upon one group to marginalise and keep them away from the ‘dominant’ group.
I think these people are entitled to want to raise their children away from influences they deem unsavoury, it happens all over the world, religious groups removing themselves from society to live how they want.
As long as things are above board it’s ok with me.
All parents do something similar, albeit on a much smaller level, filtering what and who their children see.
I see nothing wrong, as long as it doesn’t breed contempt as that leads to confrontation.
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I guess this trend represents a kind “segregation of diversity”. This is not the Indonesia that was imagined by its founders.
The Jakarta Post ran a most astonishing and interesting story on on 7/29/2009
Population control ‘a weapon of the West’I have posted it to my blog through the above link.
It is somewhat related in that Islam and ignorance are seemingly tied together in the archipelago.
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douwedabbert says:
The idea to put god’s name on selling products is nothing new. Why don’t we start selling websites and computers with halal license from MUI!
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boy says:
I’m gonna miss my favorite pork noodle in Bogor…*sigh…
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ultratupai, interesting article. What astonishes me is that major groups who are the supposedly educated (as they have the money to arrange these forums) are coming up with the most ridiculous notions. I mean , if this is some form of genocide against them why are we doing it to ourselves as well? And if they have tried it they have failed miserably as they are the 4th pargest population in the world. Hasn’t helped their cause at all and in fact has probably made it worse.
Oigal, yes this practice occurs in the west but come on, you and I both know if they did it based on race or religion we would be in deep shit and our own people would probably complain also. -
Peter says:
I feel abivalent about this.. On one hand perhaps people will feel less inclined to promote the adoption of so-called ‘Islamic Law’ for the general public; on the other hand, I feel sort of uneasy about the idea of exclusion and separation. I guess it’s their right to form such communities, as much as it is a right for Hindus to form Hindu-oriented communities or Christians to do the same..
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Chris says:
• Puri Insani
I want to live there!
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Just wondering, aren’t most of the tasteful food in Bogor like the roti and cakes and asinan owned by Chinese? Are these shops going to be banned too?
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Ross says:
Well, if all those po-faced goaties and their squaws go and live there, perhaps normal people, Muslims and others, who like to eat and drink what they enjoy, can get on with behaving like rational folks.
But I’ll bet the FPI won’t abate their onslaught on humanity outside those fortresses of mediaevalism. -
Peter-I guess it’s their right to form such communities, as much as it is a right for Hindus to form Hindu-oriented communities or Christians to do the same..
Sounds great in theory but won’t happen in any country which is majority muslim. They are intolerant of others and have no respect for cultural differences. This is evidenced by the forced closure of houses of worship for other religions throughout Indonesia, the so called moderate muslim country. Where muslims are a small minority (like Australia) they still throw their weight around demanding changes to suit themselves. So what can we expect?
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• Puri Insani
I want to live there!
Yes, I double checked that name….here’s one of their houses:
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The girl in that picture is not wearing burkha, and they sell it as something “islamic”?
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Yeah, she looks cute! What’s the address?
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Brother Mouzone says:
IMHO the single-faith complexes are a huge threat to Indonesia’s pluralistic traditions – potentially more dangerous than Syariah By-laws and church closures.
Many of the complexes mentioned are created by Chinese-Indonesian conglomerates who throw in a mosque and an Islamic televangelist as a marketing wheeze to sell more mortar – they really need to think about the long term here…
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ronald says:
so the non muslim will have to go outside the city to eat pork. really………really unjust.
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Bintang Nababan says:
@ronald: and so do the muslims…i believe some of em like to have some pork cutlet now and then.
Having gated communities is one thing, but to declare the whole city as halal?! Banning pigs farms etc. This is so like the KKK time and when the white people were so racist towards blackmen. Next step: Only Muslim may leave in the city! Hilarious!!! *deep inside my heart I feel uneasy, my tears wet my eyes and are going to stream down my face. It’s like loving somebody so much but never getting the love you’re longing for in return, and instead you’re being tested and tested to show how much do you love that somebody*
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*leave-> live
sorry! -
I am working with some developers to build a number of Christian Communities naturally owners of the houses will only be able to rent or sell to other Christians. Can anyone advise the best way to get a permit?
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As I understand it they want to ban pigs from Bogor, the animal, and the ‘processing’ of its meat, ie slaughtering, but the buying, selling, and eating of pork is and will still be allowed. The buyers and sellers will have to get the meat from outside Bogor, like in Jakarta.
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@Bintang Nabanan
*deep inside my heart I feel uneasy, my tears wet my eyes and are going to stream down my face. It’s like loving somebody so much but never getting the love you’re longing for in return, and instead you’re being tested and tested to show how much do you love that somebody*
Isn’t there a smiley that says all that?
:=(%%
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fanglong says:
The victims are complacent and backward ; their executioners are the the foul profiteers who henceforth rule the world.
Comment on “Gated Muslim Communities & Halal Cities”.
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Hmm.. It didn’t bother me to see these kinds of things when I was a Muslim. In fact, I kind of expected something I like this and felt we (muslims) have the right to things like this.
But now, these kinds of things will sooner or later cause further segregation among Indonesians. Why should there be a halal city? Why should there be a Muslim only housing complex? Who is to say that one group is the most righteous? This is a direct implication saying just that.
Not good at all to our so-called diversity, and this certainly shows how we have decreasing tolerance towards others who are ‘different’.