TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo asked religious mass organizations to practice open-mindedness and be tolerant of differences outside their environment as ignorance, close-mindedness, and exclusivity could lead to intolerance.

“Close-mindedness and exclusivity will trigger and increase intolerance which will break foundations of our nationality,” said the President when opening the virtual national conference of the Indonesia Institute of Islamic Da'wah (LDII) on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.

Religious exclusivity, he argued, must also be avoided. “Because it will inevitably meet with objections and lead to contradictions,” he remarked.

He thus asked LDII to always campaign and promote tolerance in socio-religious life, as well as be tolerant towards differences, including ones in religious views.

“The government is committed and will keep striving to encourage religious moderation. Intolerant acts, especially those with physical and verbal violence, must disappear from Indonesia,” he underlined. “Once again, the government will not let intolerance and close-mindedness grow.”

Jokowi pledged that the government takes a firm stance against all forms of intolerance that could damage the nation’s foundations. Religious organizations are expected to support the stance.

Read: Komnas HAM Praises Jokowi's Recent Outlook on Human Rights Issue

DEWI NURITA