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Anger over Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring’s statements blaming natural disasters on immorality continued from disaster survivors and on the Internet over the weekend.

“Television broadcasts that destroy morals are plentiful in this country and therefore disasters will continue to occur,” Antara state news agency quoted Tifatul as saying during an Idul Adha sermon on Friday.

News of what the former leader of the Islamic-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said provoked sharp criticism on Saturday from disaster victims.

Kikie Marzuki, an Acehnese Muslim who lost 10 family members in the tsunami disaster of 2004, said victims were not to blame. “I prefer to believe that natural disasters occur because of the destructive force of nature that cannot be avoided by humans,” he said.

Tifatul’s remarks also brought swift rebukes from some of his followers on Twitter. One tweeter identified as Ari Margiono said Tifatul’s words inferred the residents of Aceh and Padang were more decadent than others. Fellow tweeter aRdho said the comments were the direct result of political bargaining that resulted in Tifatul’s appointment.

The Indonesian Council of Ulema, however, supported his sermon. “Based on the religious view, a disaster could be seen as punishment for people’s sins, and could also act as a reminder of our mistakes,” council member Ma’ruf Amin said.

Tifatul said on Friday that his office also aimed to complete the government’s draft regulation against pornography within the next six months, after which all pornographic Web sites would be blocked. He also vowed to block access to Web sites deemed blasphemous or offensive to ethnic groups and religions.

JG, AP