Listed as Influential Ulema, Yusuf Mansur: No Political Offer

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A famous Islamic cleric Yusuf Mansur claimed no political offers proposed to him despite his name was listed as the five most influential ulema among voters in the 2019 presidential election surveyed by pollster LSI Denny JA.

“No offer [on politics from the two camps],” said Yusuf Mansur in a phone call with Tempo on Friday, November 16.

However, Yusuf Mansur did not precisely state the possibility of him taking part in the politics ahead of the 2019 election. “I want to learn first, asking for suggestion,” he said.

Read: Maruf Amin Yusuf Mansur Wants to Join Me

Earlier on August 31, vice presidential candidate number 01 Ma’ruf Amin claimed that Yusuf Mansur would be on his camp yet the latter neither deny nor confirm Ma’ruf’s statement and that on the same day, Yusuf Mansur had lunch with vice presidential number 02 Sandiaga Uno in South Jakarta.

“Until today, I am comfortable to stand in the middle that I can go to the right or left. But there are eight months left,“ Yusuf Mansur joked at that time.

Read: Yusuf Mansur Highlights Close Ties with Jokowi Prabowo Camps

In response to the survey result released by LSI Denny JA, Jokowi-Ma’ruf campaign team’s political communication director Usman Kansong said that long before the survey, his coalition party had attempted to approach the ulema.

Ma’ruf Amin, Usman added, had previously approached Yusuf Mansur. However, the national cleric remained on neutral position up to today. 

DEWI NURITA