Regarding the Use of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk As Street Name, PBNU Secretary General: It is Wiser to Use Betawi Figure

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Sumber: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - The discourse of using Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's name as the name of the road in the Menteng area, Central Jakarta, still reaps the pros and cons in the community.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) firmly rejected the proposed street name Mustafa Kemal Ataturk because of his reputation as a Turkish figure with heretical thoughts. This was conveyed by MUI Deputy Chairperson Anwar Abbas on Sunday, October 17.

The same thing was conveyed by House of Representatives (DPR) member Fadli Zon who did not agree that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was used as a street name. Fadli Zon proposed Fatih Sultan Mehmet II or Muhammad al Fatih as street names in Jakarta, not Ataturk.

Responding to the debate, the Secretary-General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini, assessed that instead of using the name Kemal Ataturk, it is better for the street to use the name of a Betawi figure.

"Regarding the plan to name the Jakarta protocol road with the name of a Turkish reformer, I think it would be much wiser to use the names of inspiring Betawi figures, such as Guru Manshur (Jembatan Lima), Guru Mughni (Kuningan), and Guru Marzuki (Cipinang). Agree? " said Faishal, Wednesday, October 20.

What was said by the Secretary-General of the PBNU was of course the opposite of the Deputy Head of Syria for the Nahdlatul Ulama Regional Management (PWNU) DKI Jakarta, Taufik Damas. Previously, he wanted to know which Muslims would be offended if Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was made the name of a street in Jakarta.

On the other hand, Taufik Damas admitted that he did not see a problem if Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was used as a street name in Jakarta.

"If asked (the proposed street name Mustafa Kemal Ataturk) hurts the hearts of Muslims, I only ask, which Muslims are they? Because Muslims who have direct experience with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk are Turkish Muslims," said Taufik Damas, Monday, October 18.

It is known that the plan to name the street Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was a request from the Turkish government.

This is part of a response at the request of the Indonesian government to replace the road in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara, with the name Jalan Ahmed Sukarno.