Indonesia is More Peaceful Than Other Islamic Countries: VP Kalla

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) said that Indonesia, as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, is more peaceful than other Islamic countries today, and therefore people should be grateful for the condition.

"We are grateful that Indonesia, despite having experienced conflicts in the past, is now one of the most peaceful countries compared to other countries. We are not Iraq, we are not Syria, we are not Libya, and so on, " the vice president stated during a speech at the Senate Open Session of the Islamic University of Bandung (Unisba) in commemoration of its 60th anniversary on Saturday.

Many Islamic countries are currently experiencing a downturn in their country, leading to disturbing conditions. Nearly one third of Islamic countries in the world have experienced conflicts, the vice president noted.

A third, or almost 30 percent, of Islamic countries experience conflicts today. Of course, we are sad to see it. People are not helping each other, but killing each other. All kinds of conflicts occur in the Middle East," he remarked.

Therefore, Kalla hoped that Indonesia could continue to maintain peace despite the differences that exist today. If there are conflicts, such as in Iraq and Syria, the recovery period would require at least 30 years, Kalla added.

"Once again, we are grateful that Indonesia has peace, and people here do not fight with each other. The existence of differences of opinion is normal for a country," he revealed.

ANTARA