MUI: There's Nothing To Worry About In The 2024 Election

ILLUSTRATION DOK VOI

JAKARTA - Secretary General of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Amirsyah Tambunan emphasized that the implementation of the 2024 General Election is nothing to worry about, because it has become a routine for democratic parties in Indonesia.

"Election has become a routine that you don't need to worry about. There are also people who are too worried if their political interests are not accommodated," Amirsyah said in his remarks at the Colloquium of Religions of the Archipelago, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 10.

This colloquium was held by the MUI Inter-Religious Commission (KAUB) in collaboration with the Research and Development Center of the Ministry of Religion which involved a number of Islamic Organizations and Religious Councils in Indonesia.

Amirsyah is optimistic that Indonesia as a country whose harmony has been tested so far will make the 2024 Election take place in a safe, successful, overflowing and fair manner.

There are those who are worried, he said, that their politics will not accommodate them. Whereas in political contestation one must be prepared to win and lose.

"This is where there is concern that creates a kind of phobia," he said.

Amirsyah urges that the general election is not a frightening moment for the people, contestants, and the Indonesian nation, even though identity politics in academic debates cannot be avoided.

However, according to him, Indonesia also has a number of Islamic organizations that are a buffer for harmony, including the MUI which is not owned by other countries.

"It doesn't exist in other countries. Indonesia has a uniqueness that other countries don't have. We have to show this," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Balitbang and Training of the Ministry of Religion Abu Rokhmad invited MUI and Islamic organizations to counteract the potential for identity politics ahead of the 2024 General Election and Presidential Election.

"Identity politics is a concern for us all. We need to be neutral and not have any interest in identity politics. MUI, I think, represents an organization that has no interest at all," he said.

He considered that it was very difficult to define identity politics so that the role of MUI was needed as a neutral organization and had no identity politics interests to guide the people.

MUI, he said, needed to maintain the continuity of authentic religious life as exemplified by ancient prophets and scholars.