Senior Indonesian officials, religious scholars and common people have strongly denounced a controversial decision by the administration of US President Donald Trump to restrict arrivals from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Muhyidin Junaidi, the head of International Relations for Indonesia Ulema Council, the country's top Muslim clerical body, said on Tuesday that the United States was digging its own grave with the new policy.
"America has tarnished the image of Americans, tarnished the image of the champions of democracy, tarnished the image of their own reputation," media outlets quoted Junaidi as saying.
Lukman Hakim, a Jakarta resident, described Trump's order as "inhumane."
"This is what they call religious and racial discrimination."
Another city resident, Baejuri, said Indonesia's government should be "active" in communicating its concern to Washington.
"There needs to be an active effort from Muslim communities, particularly in this case the government of Indonesia, regarding Donald Trump's policies."
Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla also expressed concern over Trump's immigration policy toward Muslims. He said the policy "won't affect us directly in a big way, but it can raise suspicion especially toward Muslims."
On Sunday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that Jakarta deeply regrets Trump's plans for “extreme vetting” of people from some Muslim countries entering the United States.
Indonesia is home to the world's largest population of Muslims.
In a move that sparked widespread censure, the new US president signed a sweeping executive order on January 27 to suspend refugee arrivals and impose tough controls on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.