Zulkifli Hasan: Making Indonesia A Religious State Is An Old Thought

General Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli Hasan (Mery/VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Zulkifli, said the idea of turning Indonesia into a religious state is an outdated idea. According to him, the idea does not respect the long history of the founding of Indonesia.

"I think we need to take this together in that the concept of Indonesia, religion and the state are not contradictory at all. The thought of making Indonesia a religious state, or offering the concept of an international caliphate is an obsolete thought and does not respect the long history of the founding of this nation," he said in a cultural speech. delivered at the Indonesian National Library Auditorium, Saturday, January 29.

Zulkifli emphasized that Pancasila as the ideology of the nation and religion are in no way contradictory. Therefore, political and religious polarization should not lead to efforts to change the format of the state.

"The concept of our state is final, Indonesia used to be a country with religion and respect for diversity. Bhineka Tunggal Ika. We are different, but we agree to be Single Ika, one is Indonesia," he explained. Furthermore, Zulkifli said Indonesia was founded on diversity and sense of belonging. ethnic, religious, racial and intergroup unity. He said, there is no other choice for a country with a very complex diversity like Indonesia, so unity must be knitted.

On that occasion, Zulkifli conveyed the importance of the idea of Central Islam or moderate Islam for the life of the nation. He considered Central Islam not a new concept in the country.

Therefore, Zulkifli said that political actors of Islamic nationality must adhere to the values of Central Islam and avoid the temptation of international Islamic ideologies that try to offer the concept of a caliphate.

"Our caliphate is precisely Pancasila. The spirit of Central Islam must be the foundation and we re-actualize it in the order of our social life today. Central Islam must be the way forward for Indonesian politics. Because Central Islam does not only carry a divine vision, but also a humanitarian vision ," he said.