Menag: Prabowo and Ulama Meeting to Give Each Other Input

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar said the meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and a number of ulama aims to give each other input on actual information, both domestically and abroad.

"So the President will be in silaturahim. Maybe the President will give us actual information to our ulama. But on the other side, maybe our ulama will give input to the President as umara," said the Minister of Religion at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, Antara, Tuesday, February 3.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs' statement was delivered when President Prabowo Subianto summoned a number of Islamic mass organizations to the Presidential Palace.

The Minister of Religion explained that the communication was two-way. The President as a ruler not only conveyed various policies and strategic information, but also received direct input from Islamic scholars and Islamic mass organizations.

He said the meeting between the President and Islamic organizations was not new, but had been carried out routinely in recent months in a warm and open atmosphere.

"A few months ago, the President also invited Islamic organizations to come. It was warm, even for a long time, a long time (meeting)," said the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque.

One of the points of discussion was Indonesia's participation in the Board of Peace. The Minister of Religion said that although the President had given many explanations to the public, dialogue with scholars was still important as part of direct communication.

The Minister of Religion hopes that the tradition of regular meetings between ulama and umara will continue to be maintained because it is considered to make a positive contribution to the development and future of the nation.

"And our ulama are also satisfied because they can communicate, listen directly from first hand, yes, right. Very open, God willing," said the Minister of Religion.

Nasaruddin assessed that the meeting was very positive because it showed the government's openness to listening to the aspirations of the people, as well as strengthening Indonesia's role in promoting world peace.

Previously, the Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya said President Prabowo Subianto invited representatives of Islamic community organizations (ormas) in Indonesia, the leadership of a number of pesantren, and Islamic figures in Indonesia to the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday afternoon.

Teddy, when met at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday morning, explained that there were 40-50 people invited by President Prabowo.

"Almost all Muslim organizations (such as) PBNU, Muhammadiyah, MUI, there is Persis, Syarikat Islam, then the figures of ponpes-ponpes from East Java, and so on. Later the number will be around 40-50 people. Discussion about yes, the conditions in the country, (issues) abroad," said the Secretary of the Cabinet Teddy when answering a journalist's question.

Teddy continued that one of the foreign issues to be discussed in the meeting later this afternoon also includes Indonesia's membership in the Gaza Board of Peace (BoP).