Giving Assistance Through The BOTI Program, Pentecostal Church Management Rejects Rumors About Anies Baswedan Intolerance

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan receives an award from the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (GPdI) Pastor Johny Weol while attending a General Conference (Photo Via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The management of the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (GPdI) and the Fellowship of Indonesian Pentecostal Churches (PGPI) said that the Operational Assistance for Places of Worship (BOTI) program from the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government dismissed the opinion of various parties who called Governor Anies Baswedan an intolerant figure.

General Chairperson of GPdI, Pastor Johny Weol, said that a number of churches that received operational assistance through the BOTI program were even given to Sunday schools which were beneficial for pastors and teachers.

Therefore, Johny views that Anies Baswedan's assumption as an intolerant figure is very wrong. As long as Anies leads Jakarta, it means a lot to church administrators.

"So the rumors about him I think are wrong, his social touch, especially for the church, means a lot to us. I am still the chairman of the DKI Jakarta GPdI regional assembly representing nearly 1,000 pastors, conveying to the governor, thank you for the help of BOTI, God bless you, sir. citizens and state duties," said Johny, whose opinion was spread through social media in the form of a video in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, March 20.

In the video, Reverend Jason Balompapueng, chairman of the Fellowship of Indonesian Pentecostal Churches (PGPI), also praised Anies Baswedan's leadership in DKI Jakarta for showing a nationalist figure.

"Thanks to the Governor of DKI Jakarta, you may see that the news you heard was wrong, he is a very nationalist, a national family. With the BOTI Program, it shows that he is committed and is a very pluralist person and maintains religious harmony and deserves to be a leader, God bless Mr. Governor of DKI Jakarta," said Jason.

Regarding the BOTI program, Jason hopes that it will not only be implemented in DKI Jakarta, but can also be applied nationally. "I dream of how this BOTI can become national," said Jason.