TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The campaign team for presidential and vice presidential candidates Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Jusuf "JK" Kalla has formed a sub-team called "Bravo Lima" to tackle black campaigns targeting Jokowi. The team visited Al-Islam boarding school in Yogyakarta today, June 6, 2014.
The team, comprising among others the former foreign affairs minister and ex-chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Alwi Shihab, and Army General (ret.) Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, is slated to visit a number of Islamic boarding schools in Yogyakarta and East Java.
Alwi claimed that the method of accusing Jokowi of being a Christian or closed to Christians adopted by the black campaigners were similar to those of Wahabists and Salafists.
"The moves (spreading slanders) are very much the same with those of Wahabists and Salafists, who would do anything to seize power in this country," Alwi said.
Wahabism and Salafism were movements born from Ibnu Taimiyah's idea and spread by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab in the 16th century. The core of their teachings is religion purification and rejection to any alien religious practices or rituals, including those of other religions. The Wahabists are well-known for their extreme and violent means to seize power or to rid their rivals.
Religion purification was one of the points in the manifesto declared by the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party. The point was then removed as it sparked controversies among the public.
When asked to mention the identity of the Wahabist infiltrating Prabowo's side, Alwi was evasive. "I don't have to mention his name or his party, it has become public knowledge," Alwi said.
PRIBADI WICAKSONO