Chairman Of The KPU Urges Religious People To Reduce Verbal Violence During The Presidential Election

Screenshot - Chairman of the KPU Hasyim Asy'ari in the National Gathering of the Religious Assembly in Jakarta, Tuesday (16/1/2024). (ANTARA/Asep Firmansyah/Youtube-MUI TV)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU) Hasyim Asy'ari invites all religious communities in Indonesia to jointly reduce the potential for verbal violence ahead of the general election (Pemilu).

"It is important for MUI and the upper house of religion in Indonesia to convey peace messages to maintain religious, national and humanitarian brotherhood," Hasyim said at the National Gathering of the Religious Assembly in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 16.

Hasyim said that physical violence was no longer in the five-year democratic party. However, verbal violence often appears, especially on social media.

verbal violence that emerged, he said, was in the form of spreading fake news (hoaxes) and spreading slander.

"Even though we as religious people understand enough, especially Muslims, as mentioned in the Qur'an, slander is more cruel than murder. This message must be spread to uphold the characteristics of humanity," he said.

Therefore, Hasyim asked the public not to use the disgrace of a certain person or candidate pair as an electoral instrument to reap the voices of the people.

"So then it becomes important to deliver a peace sermon on electoralism to maintain ukhuwah or brotherhood in the midst of a political year," said Hasyim.

The National Gathering, which was initiated by MUI, was attended by a number of Islamic organizations and religious leaders held at Grand Sahid, Jakarta.

Those present included the Chairman of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference Mgr. Antonius Subianto Bunyamin, the Chairman of the Indonesian Churches Association Gomar Gultom, to the Ketum Permabudhi Philip K. Widjaya.

The activity was filled with delivery from representatives of each religious assembly and closed with a declaration for honest, fair, safe and peaceful elections.