TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The two campaign teams of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls vying in the 2019 elections held today a joint prayer dubbed “Zikir untuk Negeri” or pray for the country in Sancang Forest, Garut, West Java.

Maman Imanulhaq as the Jokowi-Ma’ruf campaign team's director of volunteers and Priyo Budi Santoso as the Prabowo-Sandiaga team' deputy chairman attended the event.

“We hope this country will recover to a calm and peaceful state,” said Maman in a written statement on Monday, April 29. According to him, the two camps must uphold the principle of brotherhood despite their differences.

Both teams agreed that the 2019 general elections should become a momentum to determine a better and more developed path for Indonesia without causing social disputes due to diverse choices in politics.

“We are different and we must maintain the principle of ukhuwah, brotherhood,” said Priyo.

He asserted that if political elites people showed examples of the importance of maintaining unity and integrity, there should be no supporters of the two presidential hopefuls who committed any act against the constitution.

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In addition to praying for Indonesia to remain at safe and peace condition, the joint prayer was also established to pray for polling station workers (KPPS) who died during and after the 2019 general elections.

To Monday, April 29, at 08:00 Jakarta time, the General Election Commission (KPU) recorded the number of KPPS members who died jumped to 296 people, while those who fell ill reached 2,152 members.

The prayer held by Jokowi and Prabowo campaign teams in the coastal area of Muara Beach, Sancang Forest, was led by Islamic lecturer KH. Asep from Majelis 517 Cikalong Wetan, Bandung, and was attended by a number of politicians and volunteers from the Jakarta Greater Area (Jabodetabek) and West Java.

“May all the fighters of democracy who passed away be regarded as a shahid (Muslim martyr) in Allah’s way,” Kyai Asep remarked.

DEWI NURITA