Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – While students of Islamic universities in Indonesia are embracing liberalism, their counterparts in science schools feel apparently more appeal to fundamentalism, a prominent Islamic cleric said here Tuesday.

Hasyim Muzadi, former chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, cited the phenomenon as he addressed a workshop on deradicalization organized by the National Anti-Terror Agency (BNPT).

"Islamic universities these days usually produce liberalists, while science schools generate fundamentalists," Hasyim said.

"I guess it's because students of Islamic universities are tired of having to be pious – they've had to do it all the times; while science students are hardly in touch with religions that they search for it from available sources."

He said the phenomenon could be seen among top science schools in Indonesia, including at the University of Indonesia. Indonesian Ulema Council secretary Amirsyah Tambunan blamed weak monitoring for the intrusion of fundamental movements in campuses.