News:

Jakarta, Indonesia- The National Police said Sunday (August 11^th) that at least 471 people died in traffic accidents across Indonesia during the annual Eid ul-Fitr travel exodus, local media reported.

"There have been 2,095 total traffic accidents in which 747 people sustained major injuries and 2,688 endured minor ones," National Police Spokesperson Agus Rianto said in Jakarta, according to the Antara News Agency.

Among incidents involving 3,621 vehicles, 2,517 were motorcycles, followed by 588 passenger cars, 270 freight cars, 140 buses and 94 non motorized vehicles.

Last year, the recorded death toll during the Eid ul-Fitr holiday period was 491, according to The Jakarta Post. [khabarsoutheastasia.com, August 13, 2013]

Comments:

We should question the Indonesian secular government's role to protect people from any harm and provide them with sufficient facilities. Those hundred victims are people who have rights to be protected from anything that endanger their lives. What does the government do to give people's rights?

It is true that there are many factors that trigger traffic accidents. Is there any sufficient safe public transportation?  No, there isn't. Thousands of people can not go to have their Eid ul-Fitr holiday using trains or ships. However the government has the total responsibilities to find out solution for the problem. The availability of cheap and safe mass transportation should be the priority. In fact, today people are concerned to reach safe transportation because it is very high cost. Instead people have their travel in very poor condition transportation. Moreover the government does not give any sanction to companies which operate unsafe buses in order to get maximum profit. The conditions are getting worse by the poor conditions of the road, so it often cause accidents. Then, where is the responsibility of the government?

From the fact we can see that secular democratic government has failed to give protection to people's lives. It doesn't place the fulfillment of people' needs as a priority. Such government only thinks about its interest that is securing its position as the ruler to make them freely exploit the natural and human resources for the sake of their business and profit.

In contrast with Islamic government, the Imaam or Khaleefah is the one responsible for the fulfillment and protection of the people.  Remember how Khaleefah Umar bin Abdul Aziz provided facilities for people to have safe and convenient travel. He made sure that there wasn't any poor road. Even one sheep life is guaranteed to be protected. He didn't leave one life killed because of poor road or transportation. It is because Umar bin Abdul Aziz and the Khilafah "Caliphate" state he lead  dedicate to implement the Shariah and to bring Rahmah to the universe, not a state that place profit and material advantages as  the only objective.

It is time for people to realize that Indonesia and all over the world need the implementation of Shariah and the coming of Khilafah "Caliphate" State.

 

Iffah Ainur Rohmah

Spokeswoman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Indonesia