Vice President: There Is Still A Rejection Of Houses Of Worship And Political Contestation Regarding Religious Issues To Become PR That Must Be Completed

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin delivered a Public Lecture at the Auditorium of Professor KH Moh Tholhah Hasan, Al-Asy Round Building, Malang Islamic University (UNISMA), East Java, Friday (19/1/2024). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin invites all components of the nation to maintain the unity, harmony, social harmony, and tolerance that has become the hallmark of Indonesia.

"Indonesia has been blessed with various ethnicities, religions, races, languages, and cultures, where differences have become a necessity. However, our nation's founders have succeeded in expressing this formulation that mandates this pluralism in the 1945 Constitution and Pancasila as the basis of the state," he said while delivering a public lecture at the Islamic University of Malang (UNISMA), East Java, reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 19.

In a public lecture held at the Auditorium of Professor KH Moh Tholhah Hasan, the Al-Asy 'ariUNISMA Roundabout building, the Vice President said it was the duty of all components of the nation to ensure that the foundation of unity above diversity remains maintained.

The Vice President also stated that tolerance has become a characteristic of the Indonesian nation which is now being studied by a number of countries.

"Middle East wants to learn to us about what kind of tolerance. I am very honored," he said.

According to Ma'ruf, diversity should be a gift, capital, and wealth that unites, not a trigger for division.

Therefore, the Vice President invites all parties to reflect on the way the Indonesian nation interprets differences.

"There is still a rejection of the establishment of houses of worship in several areas, as well as political contestation which is linked to religious issues, indicating that there are still homework that needs to be completed," he said.

According to the Vice President, resolving the problem does not only require the role of the government, but also all components of society, including religious leaders, mass media, political parties, and educational institutions.

In addition, the Vice President conveyed that as a pilot for the application of moderation in religion and defending the country, UNISMAsem should have discussed the subject matter in various languages so that it could also be studied by other nations who want to learn tolerance in Indonesia.

"UNISMA is the pioneer campus of the anti-radicalism movement, as well as a campus that is a pilot project of the Ministry of Religion in developing religious moderation and defending the country," he said.