General Chairperson Of FKUB Rejects Use Of Identity Politics, It Can Create Splits

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Religious Harmony Association Forum (FKUB), Ida Pangelingsir Agung Sukahet asked certain groups not to use religion as a tool for political interests in the 2024 election.

"Don't bring up or associate religion with political interests," said Ida Pangelingsir, in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Friday, December 2, quoted from Antara.

Religious-based identity politics by bringing religion into practical politics for certain purposes only has the potential to cause division in society.

He emphasized that all religious figures who are members of the FKUB uphold democracy, the 2024 election, and reject identity politics.

Chairman of FKUB Central Sulawesi Province Zainal Abidin said that identity politics has the potential to pose a threat to nationalism.

Identity politics, according to Zainal, is one of the strategies used by certain groups to get people's votes by abusing equality, both group equality, race, religion, and area of origin.

Therefore, he said, identity politics basically has the potential to create barriers between citizens based on primordial identity, such as race, ethnicity, religion, and gender.

He reminded that identity politics in the name of a person and religion only injures religious simplicity and damages community unity.

"However, religion is being used for political interests, creating divisions, and destroying the harmony of people's lives, nation and state," said Zainal Abidin.

He emphasized that religious-based identity politics is very contradictory to the teachings of every religion that should encourage and inspire its adherents to realize common peace and benefit.