PKB Disciplined Will Be, Minister Of Religion Yaqut Fights: Go Ahead!

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas invited his party which previously passed the Deputy General Chairperson (Waketum) of PKB Jazilul Fawaid stated that he would discipline himself after mentioning the figure of a candidate for president to have politicized religious actions. Yaqut admitted to respecting Jazilul as an important figure in PKB. However, he strongly refused if he had to withdraw his statement about the figure of a presidential candidate and the appeal to the public not to choose a leader based on looks and sweet promises only. "Pak Jazil is a great, honorable politician, right, has great service to the party and maybe one of the founders of the party, I know. I have great respect for him but for that one to withdraw my talk which suggested to the public that I should see the track record of the leader so that he should not only be fascinated by promises, with sweet mouths, I don't want to," said Minister of Religion Yaqut at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, October 2. According to Yaqut, there is nothing wrong with his remarks that urges the public to choose a leader in good and rational ways is not only a physical appearance. Similarly, asking the public to check the track record of the candidate for the nation and state leaders. "If so, please, I will not revoke this, for the nation and state," said Yaqut.

The chairman of PP GP Ansor also questioned his statement regarding religious politicization. According to him, all parties would agree that religion should not be drawn into politics in the upcoming presidential election. Yaqut previously mentioned the use of religion as a political tool in the 2017 DKI Pilgub and the 2019 presidential election.

"Yes, you can't, do you agree? Religious politics can't be done? I ask this? It can't be, no. Religion must inspire every behavior of our lives, including politics, but don't use religion for politics, that's all," said Yaqut. On a different occasion, GP Ansor defended Minister of Religion Yaqut, who was said to be disciplined by PKB which alluded to politicization of religion in political moments ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Kadensus 99 PP GP Ansor Nuruzzaman assessed that the reaction of PKB General Chair Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) and PKB Deputy Chairman Jazilul Fawaid was too excessive.

Because according to him, Yaqut only appealed to the public not to choose a leader because he looked like him and spoke sweetly.

"Cak Imin and Jazil are baperan politicians. Such statements must be conveyed by Gus Men as Minister of Religion," said Nuruzzaman in a written statement, Monday, October 2.