Jokowi Reminds Public to Maintain Unity in Facing Elections

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) invited Indonesia’s Ulemas and the entire Muslim community to work together in maintaining the country’s unity and integrity to maintain its security and peace.

“There should be no conflicts, no matter how small they are, so we can elevate the development of our country’s prosperity,” said Jokowi during the opening of the first National Work Meeting (Rakernas) of the Hubbul Wathon Executive Board on Wednesday, February 21.

Jokowi reminded members of the meeting to maintain the county’s ukhuwah Islamiyah and the ukhuwah wathoniyah (the brotherhood among Muslims and the brotherhood of fellow citizens) heading towards the election year that is soon to arrive in the form of the 2018 Simultaneous Regional Elections.

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“There will always be a provocation, instigation, and the spread of hoaxes,” said the seventh Indonesian president.

President Jokowi hopes that the Hubbul Wathon national meeting will be able to produce tremendous ideas and practical ideas from Indonesian Ulemas that would be useful for Indonesia’s development.

The meeting between government officials and Ulemas is hoped to continue since President Jokowi positions an Ulema as a major factor that can influence the country’s development.

“Ulemas are messengers of society’s voices, the voice of the people, and from members of Islamic boarding schools throughout Indonesia,” said President Jokowi.

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani