Jakarta – The arrival of a leader of Indonesia's highest Islamic clerical council in Sintang, West Kalimantan, on Thursday (12/01) drew strong rejection from a group of Dayak youths, who accused him of having insulted the tribe.

The protest prompted the deputy secretary general of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Tengku Zulkarnain, and his entourage to refuse to exit their plane that had landed at Sintang Airport, and they subsequently depart for Pontianak.

"The situation was under control during the rejection," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Rikwanto said in Jakarta.

Thursday's incident began when the inauguration of the committee of the Sintang Customary Council was being held and set to be attended by West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, who is also the chairman of the council.

Around 30 youth members of the council went to Sintang Airport to pick him up. While waiting for the arrival of Cornelis, the group was informed about the imminent arrival of Tengku Zulkarnain, and directly staged a protest rejecting it.

The youth group accused him of calling the Dayak tribespeople as infidels, in a statement he had recently made and circulated on social media.

Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/news/dayak-youth-protest-prompts-mui-secretary-general-abandon-sintang-visit/