Reported to Bawaslu, Ma'ruf Amin: What Have I Done Wrong?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice-presidential candidate number 01 Ma'ruf Amin deemed the report against him filed to the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) was inappropriate. Ma'ruf felt that he had not done anything wrong, and that the report was a mere allegation. 

“What have I done wrong? I stood still [at that time] because I thought there was no [election] violation,” said Ma'ruf in a written statement that Tempo received on Friday, March 22.

A group called Advocates Care for Election (Advokat Peduli Pemilu) reported Thursday, March 21, the running-mate of Jokowi for allegedly turning a blind eye to the spread of false information or a hoax conveyed by a preacher in a recent event.

Ma'ruf said he was baffled about the connection between his silence during the forum of Islamic preachers or kiai and the hoax spreading. 

Read: Ma'ruf Amin Reported to Bawaslu for Alleged Black Campaign

“In my opinion, it’s not a violation considering the event was not held in a public space, and we did not invite people,” said the chairman of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

According to Ma'ruf , it was normal for ulemas to share their opinions in an event—not giving lectures to one another, but rather suggestions.

Ma'ruf Amin assessed that the speech content in the forum was a concern among kyais (Islamic teachers) in light of the potential removal of ideologies of rahmatan lil alamin (blessings for all universe), Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah, and moderate Islam. He said Nahdlatul Ulama had championed these views and considered them as the most effective ways to unite Muslims. 

FIKRI ARIGI