Kominfo's Request To Replace Adzan Maghrib With Text Running During Masses At GBK, Triggers The Anger Of Mass Organizations

Illustration of the call to prayer

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information (Kominfo) statement to TV broadcasting agencies not to broadcast Adzan Maghrib's broadcast during the Mass led by Pope Francis on Thursday, September 5, angered a number of Islamic organizations.

Moreover, Kominfo requested that Maghrib's call to prayer broadcast be sounded simultaneously through television replaced through running text (moving writing).

Chairman of the DPP Islamic Brotherhood Front (FPI), Aziz Yanuar said, the FPI, GNPFU and PERSADA 212 expressed their strong protest against the Director General of Postal and Informatics Implementation of the Ministry of Communication and Information.

According to Aziz, the statement of the attitude of Islamic organizations was related to the circulation of a letter from the Director General of Post and Information Administration of the Ministry of Communication and Information Number: B-2026 / DJPPI / HM.05.08 / 09/2024, dated September 2, 2024, signed by Wayan Toni Supriyanto as the Director General of Post and Information Administration.

The contents of the letter, he continued, basically instructed all the President Directors of Broadcasting Institutions and the Chairperson of the Association and Association of Broadcasting Institutions to have mass events led by Pope Francis on September 5, 2024 starting at 17.00 to pkl.19.00 broadcast live and unbroken on all national television.

"Adzan Maghrib, which is usually broadcast on national television at around 17.56 p.m. to finish on the same day and date, was essentially abolished, and replaced with running text," Aziz told VOI, Wednesday, September 4.

For this reason, Islamic organizations who are members of the Islamic Brotherhood Front, GNPF Ulama, the 212 Alumni Brotherhood have expressed their position that Indonesian Muslims do not question religious activities from other parties as long as these activities do not mix religious teachings or negate other religious activities at the same time.

"The letter from the Director General of PPI regarding the Maghrib call to prayer greatly disturbs the diversity and tolerance that has existed for a long time in the Republic of Indonesia. The letter from the Director General of PPI proves that the current regime has contracted the islamphobia virus and intolerance against the existence of the Maghrib call to prayer and Islamic teachings," he said.

The Director General of PPI of the Ministry of Communication and Information is said to have changed the call to prayer from voice to announcement in the form of writing.

"Adzan is a voice that is echoed, not an announcement in the form of writing. This changes Islamic law, let alone is done by people from outside Islam, which is a form of insult and blasphemy against Islamic law," he said.