FKUB Believes In Silih Asih, Silih Asah And Silih Asuh Benteng Warga Jabar Tankal Illitimate

Chairman of the West Java Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) Rafani Achyar. (ANTARA/HO-Humas FKUB)

JAKARTA - The West Java Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) stated that the local wisdom of the Sundanese, such as the concept of silih asih, silih asah, and silih as a barrier to intolerance in West Java (Jabar). "We at the West Java Religious Harmony Forum, always take care of local wisdom, which is often referred to as local wisdom," said Chairman of the West Java Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) Rafani Achyar in a written statement, Antara, Thursday, July 7. Sisih asih, silih asah, dan silih berharap, juga merupakan salah satu fasilitasi hidup orang Sundanese, yang menjadi temperti hari warga Jawa Barat. "That juga yang menjadi bulwark pertahanan mereka, agar tidak terpapar behavior intolerance serta paham radicalism," kata dia. The Sundanese are the names for those from West Java Province and on various occasions, West Java region, also known as Bumi Parahyangan. "West Java is very wide and has a very dense population. Socially, it is very heterogenous. Residents from various tribes and religions in the country are free to live in West Java," said Rafani. Although FKUB was founded by leaders of Islam, Protestant Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Konghucu, he said, his party also embraced Sundanese Wiwitan figures as part of FKUB. A number of literature notes that Sundanese Wiwitan is a belief held by the Sundanese people and that belief existed before Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic teachings came to West Java. Until now, Sundanese followers live in the Kasepuhan Ciptabela Cisolok Sukabumi area, Naga Tasikmalaya Village, Cigugur Kuningan, Cireundeu Cimahi Traditional Village, and Bogor Regency. Rafani explained that the local wisdom of silih asih, silih asah, and silih asuh, for example, was accepted and understood by all adherents of religions and beliefs in West Java, as glue for others. From various discussions and interactions with adherents of religions and beliefs in West Java, Rafani Achyar said, residents believe that the local wisdom is one of the forts of national defense, so as not to be exposed to acts of intolerance and radicalism. However, this was investigated by a number of surveys some time ago, which stated that religious tolerance in West Java was low. There is a survey that noted that the religious harmony index in West Java, occupies the third-lowest position nationally. "We at the West Java Religious Harmony Forum, responded to a number of these surveys, with an open mind," he said. Rafani Achyar then explained, on behalf of the institution, FKUB proposed to the West Java Provincial Government to conduct an independent survey. From the results of the survey by the Ministry of Religion's Research and Development Center (Balitbang Kemenag) in 2021, Rafani Achyar said, the religious harmony index in West Java occupies the 20th position nationally, not the three lowest.