The Role Of Social Media That Ended In Miftah Maulana's Resignation As The Presidential Special Envoy

The preacher Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman or who is familiarly called Gus Miftah held a press conference at Ora Aji Islamic Boarding School, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region, Friday (6/11/2024). (ANTARA/Luqman Hakim)

JAKARTA - Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman finally resigned from his position as Special Envoy for the President for Religious Harmony and Religious Suggestions after becoming a byword. This man who is also known as a preacher has become the target of netizens because of his controversial talk in the middle of his lecture.

This public anger originated from a video clip that went viral on social media. In the video, Miftah can be seen saying rudely insulting the drink seller who peddles her merchandise at the Magelang Bersholawat event.

"Is your tea bike akeh ora (your tea ice is still a lot)? Still? Yo kono didol (yes there sold), stupid. Dol en insik, ngko ngk lang payu yo wes, fate (sELL first, later if it still doesn't sell, then fate)," Miftah told the ice tea trader in the video.

Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi said Miftah's actions had recently received a warning from Prabowo Subianto. Miftah herself has apologized and visited the Tea Seller, Sunhaji. But the public is already angry. Is Miftah's resignation because she is not strong with netizens' blasphemy?

The Miftah incident made fun of the tea seller in the middle of his lecture immediately became a broad concern in the country. The public was furious because Miftah at that time appeared as a religious leader, even he was called Gus, a title given specifically to the descendants of the ulama and kiai at the pesantren.

Moreover, he was also appointed by President Prabowo Subianto as the Presidential Special Envoy for Religious Harmony. Miftah has indeed apologized through a one-minute video and has met directly with a tea ice seller known as Sunhaji.

However, his apology did not dampen the public's scorn. The insistence that the man born in 1981 be fired from his latest position was stretched, even until a petition was signed up to hundreds of thousands of people.

In the midst of the rolling hot ball, Miftah Maulana announced his resignation from his position as Special Envoy for the President for Religious Harmony and Development of Religious Facilities.

"Today, with all humility and sincerity, and with full awareness, I would like to convey a decision that I have thought deeply. After praying, praying, praying, and istighfar, I have decided to resign from my duties as the Presidential Special Envoy for Religious Harmony and the Development of Religious Facilities," said Gus Miftah during a press conference at Ora Aji Islamic Boarding School, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region, Friday.

Political observer Dedi Kurnia Syah considers public anger to be reasonable, even needed as a result of Miftah's ridicule to the public. This action, said Dedi, could indeed affect the president's reputation considering that he served as the Presidential Special Envoy.

"And indeed, such an attitude as Miftah has the potential to build public anger, because when people are experiencing difficulties in life or the economy, it is precisely the representation of elite officials or figures who like to make them objects of ridicule," said Dedi to VOI.

He also again highlighted the existence of a man whose full name is Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman who is deemed unnecessary. The impression of distributing positions from Prabowo as a reward during the Presidential Election is too attached to the current Miftah position.

"Miftah's position in the presidential circle is not needed, the President seems to give that position only to service in the presidential election, not based on government needs," he explained.

"Religious affairs should be entrusted directly and without overlapping with the Ministry of Religion," said the Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO).

Miftah Maulana's resignation immediately became a trending topic on social media X, just like when the video clip that mocked the ice tea seller went viral. In his resignation conference, Miftah admitted that she had no pressure from any party.

However, the swift action of netizens who criticized the preacher could not be underestimated. This is agreed by social media observer and Social Media Wise Coordinator, Enda Nasution.

Social media almost always has a big influence, such as when netizens compactly oversee the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding the threshold for the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) some time ago.

"The pattern is always the same, social media functions double as a medium for information dissemination and at the same time forms a pressure group that has succeeded in producing changes. From the initiation of investigations, termination of projects, policy changes until the latest positions can be submitted or dismissed," said Enda.

Digital technology makes public figures and policy makers easier for the public to monitor. Therefore, Enda emphasized that policy makers, corporations, law enforcement agencies, and the private sector must listen and have a qualified social media team.

This social media team is useful for managing and mitigating various possibilities that can happen. Not only that, Enda also invited netizens to remain wise in social media, especially when criticizing and expressing their aspirations.

"Avoid harsh words, insults. Too focused on ridicule and forgetting to find a solution to the problem. Use data if there is. Want to correct yourself and not feel the most right or the holiest," he said.

This is not the only time the strength of netizens has a big impact. The public may still remember how the World Badminton Federation (BWF) social media accounts disappeared after being invaded by Indonesian netizens because their favorite players were expelled from the All England 2021 tournament.