JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia is hoped to promote moderate Islam that contributes to preserving world peace. The cooperation is also hoped to be economically beneficial for Indonesians and support education.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia met with over 30 Muslim leaders at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (2/3). The meeting was hosted by President Joko Widodo. Attendees included Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chair Ma’ruf Amin, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive board member Masdar Farid Mas’udi, MUI deputy head and Muhammadiyah executive board member Yunahar Ilyas, Muhammadiyah’s women’s wing Aisyiyah chair Siti Noordjannah, Alwi Shihab, Hamdan Zoelva and Zannuba Arifah Chafsoh “Yenny” Wahid.
Due to the limited time available for the event, only three individuals had the opportunity to address King Salman. These were Ma’ruf Amin, who also serves as the rais aam (supreme leader) of Nahdlatul Ulama, Yunahar Ilyas and the rais aam of Jam’iyyah Ahlith Thoriqoh Al Mu’tabaroh An Nahdliyyah Habib Luthfi bin Yahya.
Beyond conveying their appreciation of the king’s visit and attention to Indonesia, Yenny Wahid said that the leaders also conveyed their hopes for a stronger relationship between the two nations to strengthen a tolerant face of Islam in the face of terrorism. Hopes of improved cultural and trade relations were also delivered.
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said that a partnership to fight radicalism, terrorism and extremism was among the 11 Memorandums of Understanding signed on the first day of King Salman’s visit. “A moderate face of Islam that contributes to keeping world peace is also specifically mentioned in one of the MoUs. Also how differences and diversity must be preserved, including differences in religion,” Lukman said.
The camaraderie between the President and King Salman was on full display on the king’s second day of his visit to Indonesia. As on the day before, President Jokowi held the king’s hand on their way to the meeting.
At the start of the meeting, Yenny said that King Salman had stated he appreciated President Jokowi’s slogan of “Work, Work, Work”. “King Salman said, ‘I also highly enjoy working’. Pak Jokowi was laughing when he heard that,” Yenny said.
A Visit to Istiqlal Mosque
Before meeting with the Muslim leaders, King Salman visited Istiqlal Mosque. At the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, the 81-year-old king conducted the Tahiyyatul Masjid (greeting the mosque) prayer. He also handed over a kiswah, the cloth that covers the Kaaba, as a gift to the Istiqlal Mosque management.
Local people tried to approach and take photographs of the king. Cleric and resident of Rawamangun, East Jakarta, Samsu Suhardi, 47, said that he was disappointed that the king did not greet the people who had been waiting for a long time inside the mosque.
The king’s visit to Istiqlal Mosque took place after he visited the House of Representatives in Senayan. In front of members of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), House of Representatives and Regional Representatives Council, King Salman gave a two-minute
speech in which he encouraged Indonesia, as a religiously peaceful and moderate nation, to work together to fight the threats of terror that had disrupted state sovereignty and global peace.
“[This challenge] requires us to stand together in coordinating efforts and responses that can be beneficial to our mutual interests as well as for world peace and security,” King Salman said.
King Salman’s visit is the first by a Saudi Arabian head of state in 47 years. On June 12, 1970, then King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud also spoke at the House of Representatives on his four-day visit to Indonesia. On Thursday, a video recording of King Faisal’s visit was played at the House’s plenary hall ahead of the king’s arrival.
“Both of our countries had the same views and attitudes toward the threats of communism and Zionism 47 years ago. Today, the challenges we are facing include how to maintain global peace and security in the face of terrorism and radicalism,” House speaker Setya Novanto said in his opening speech.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chair Sohibul Iman said that he hoped the government would immediately respond to King Salman’s commitment with concrete steps of cooperation. Beyond coordination in religious affairs, there should also be economic cooperation.
Economic opportunities
Beyond that, King Salman’s visit and the handful of cooperation agreements resulting from it have created new economic opportunities. Included in the 11 MoUs signed by President Jokowi and King Salman was transportation, in which the two countries agreed to increase the frequency of international flights and points of departure.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that currently flights to Saudi Arabia were available from five Indonesian cities, namely Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Medan and Makassar. In Saudi Arabia, flights to Indonesia could be found in Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh and Damam.
“Based on the cooperation, we will abolish the upper limit for international flight frequency between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Indonesian carriers will open flights to Thaif while Saudi Arabia will open flights to Surakarta and Balikpapan,” Budi Karya said.
On a related note, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that there were a lot of exciting opportunities available to Indonesia with the improved bilateral cooperation. Spending by Middle Eastern tourists in Indonesia was known to be quite high, at between US$1,750 and $2,000 per visit. “With such potential, an increase in foreign exchange is highly probable,” he said.
Currently, around 150,000 Saudi Arabian travelers visit Indonesia annually. This was relatively low compared to the huge potential. “The opportunity to beat Malaysia would be huge [with 300,000 Saudi Arabian travelers visiting the country annually]. In the past, we never really explored tourism promotion potential in Saudi Arabia. Once we implemented huge tourism campaigns, there was 20-percent growth in the number of travelers. Currently, the number of Saudi Arabian travelers to Indonesia is close to 200,000 people per year,” Arief said.
On Friday, King Salman is scheduled to attend a high tea with President Joko Widodo, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and interfaith leaders. He will go to Bali after visiting Brunei on Saturday.
To prepare for King Salman’s arrival, I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport in Bali will be closed for 45 minutes, from 7:15 p.m. Central Indonesian Time to 8 p.m. Central Indonesian Time on Saturday.
