Surprised To Be Called By PKB Leader, Gus Yaqut: Where Was The Mistake?

Minister of Religion (Menag) and Chairman of the PKB DPP, Yaqut Cholis Qoumas. (Nailin-VOI)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Religion (Menag) as well as the Chairman of the PKB DPP, Yaqut Cholis Qoumas was surprised to hear the news of a summons from party leaders regarding his statement asking the public not to choose a leader based on looks and sweet promises. And alluding to the use of religion in politics such as the 2017 DKI Pilgub and the 2019 Presidential Election. Yaqut admitted that he did not know the information or received the summons.

"I don't know. I am one of the chairmen at the PKB DPP. I don't know if it has been revised or not, I don't know. But if it's about whether I was summoned, I haven't received a summons until now," said Yaqut at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, October 2nd.

Yaqut also questioned who the PKB leadership was entitled to summon him. If the council is syuro, he admits that he will obey. If the management, he is also one of the PKB DPP administrators.

"Wait, who will you call first. Because there are a lot of PKBs, who calls first? If it's a syuro, I'm obedient to the kiai," said Yaqut. "Which management is it? Who is entitled. I am one of the administrators," he added.

The chairman of PP GP Ansor also emphasized that the issue of sanctions against cadres is regulated in the party's AD/ART. Therefore, he questioned where the error was related to the invitation to the public to choose a good leader.

"There is an AD/ART, the PKB has an AD/ART, the party has an AD/ART, it wants to sign people, cadres, that's why there are regulations, where is the fault, if I invite the public to be rational, invite the people to vote," said Yaqut.

Sebelumnya, Menag Yaqut mengingatkan umat Buddha agar jangan memilih pemimpin secara asal-asalan di Pilpres 2024. Dia mengatakan, umat beragama seharusnya menyadari bahwa pemilu hanyalah mekanisme untuk menemukan siapa yang akan memimpin Indonesia.

According to him, religion with politics cannot be separated but it must also not be used as a political tool to fulfill the desire for power.

"Don't because you talk good, your mouth is sweet, your face is handsome, it's chosen. Don't be careless, you have to look at the track record first, it's good, thank God it's handsome, thank God it's sweet, it was chosen," said Yaqut while attending a prayer event with Wahana Nagara Rahaja at the Alila Hotel, Solo, Central Java, Saturday, September 30.

"We still remember, there was bad use of religion in politics some time ago, the election time for the Governor of DKI Jakarta and the Presidential Election," he continued.