AMIN's Camp Calls Prayer Movement Not Making Jokes, Many People Are Offended By Pak Zulhas

Zulkifli Hasan (Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the National Team for the Winning of Anies-Muhaimin (AMINAn National Team) Billy David Neututumelina criticized the statement by the General Chairperson of PAN Zulkifli Hasan who made a joke about the tahiyat movement during prayers. According to Billy, worship activities cannot be used as a joke because they lose an element of satire. "It will definitely offend several groups and many people are also offended by his statement," said Billy at the AMIN Winning House, Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, December 20. Billy views Zulhas as inappropriate to joke about the prayer movement which is associated with a form of support for presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Moreover, Zulhas is one of the party leaders who carried the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 2, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka. "We don't want good people, Pak Prabowo's team, in other teams, including our team, to issue statements that are not subtantiated and have nothing to do with anything," he said. Previously, the viral 52-second video clip contained Zulhas who shared his experiences around the area and found that something had changed in society during Maghrib prayers. Zulhas conveyed a joke about the change in society during prayers, namely by not saying “ amin ” after reading Surat Al-Fatihah and pointing two fingers at the end of the tahayatul. "I'm traveling around the area, sir, and..., Mr. Kiai, Mr. Kiai Toha, it's safe here. Jakarta doesn't have a problem. There are those that have come all the way, you know, what has changed. So if you pray Maghrib, read Al-Fatihah, 'Wa taddallin...' There are those who are silent now, sir, there are those who are silent now. There are those who are silent now a lot, that's so much love for Mr. Prabowo. That's if Pak Yai's final prayer (ii), Mr. Yayi, it's the end of the game (Zulhas moved his index finger when mabukat prayer). Now there are a lot of things, sir. Like this (Zulhas moved two fingers). That, sir, other places like that, sir. So what is that, "said Zulhas.

Zulhas made this statement when giving a speech at the National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) in Semarang, Tuesday, December 20. Zulhas was then widely discussed on social media.