VP Ma'ruf Amin Asks People Not to Be Allergic to 'Amin', Especially in Religious Practices

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin stressed that it is childish conduct to offend religious rituals through political narratives. “We should not act like a kid. ‘Amin’ does not mean any presidential candidate. ‘Amin’ has existed for a long time,” he said during an online award ceremony in Jakarta, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023.

This statement was made in response to the National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas’ previous remarks during a national meeting with the Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) in Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday, Dec. 19.

Zulhas, who serves as Trade Minister, said people supporting presidential candidate number 2, Prabowo Subianto, are reluctant to say 'Amin' and remain silent during prayers. 

Since the onset of the election campaign, Amin has become a popular shorthand for the pair of presidential candidates number one, Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar.

The VP emphasized that the word ‘Amin’ is the right one to say to conclude and end a prayer which signifies the hope that God will fulfill the prayers. “When the Imam (a person leading a prayer) says 'wa lad-dallin', then they (makmum, or Imam’s followers in a prayer) have to say ‘Amin’, should it be changed? It's impossible, and everyone knows that,” Ma'ruf said.

Ma'ruf Amin therefore called on the public not to be allergic to the word 'Amin' because it does not always correlate with political interests. “Don't be childish,” he concluded.

ANTARA

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