Indonesians Urged to Maintain Calmness

NU and Muhammadiyah have called on all Indonesians to maintain calmness ahead of the 2018 simultaneous regional elections and the 2019 general elections. In democracy, differences must not lead to disintegration.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Said Aqil Siradj (second left) and Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir (second right) issue a joint statement at the NU office in Jakarta on Friday (23/3). The statement underlined mutual help through donations and alms. Muhammadiyah and NU continue to work for reconciliation and peace. The meeting was attended by all executive members of both organizations.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The country’s two largest Muslim mass organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, have called on everyone to maintain a “cool” atmosphere ahead of the 2018 simultaneous regional elections and 2019 general elections. The political events should be held in a frame of nationalism to maintain progress, prosperity and national unity.

Both Muhammadiyah and the NU said democracy was the nation’s way to achieve positive change in the life of the state. In a democracy, differences must not lead to disintegration. Everyone must be prepared to accept different opinions.

“As we enter a year of politics, we must be calm and relaxed in welcoming it. The celebration of democracy must be a cause for joy, not tension. Do not let what takes just five minutes in the voting booth destroy our 70-year-old brotherhood,” NU chair Said Aqil Siroj said in a joint press conference between NU and Muhammadiyah at NU’s headquarters in Jakarta on Friday (23/3/2018).

The call for maintaining a peaceful political atmosphere was one of five points delivered through the joint statement, the result of a meeting between the two organizations’ central boards on Friday. At the press conference, Said was accompanied by Muhammadiyah chair Haedar Nashir, NU secretary-general Helmy Faishal Zaini and Muhammadiyah secretary-general Abdul Mu’ti.

It was a cordial meeting, where major issues facing the nation were discussed in relaxed talks. At the press conference, both Said and Haedar joked about the NU’s “Islam Nusantara” concept and Muhammadiyah’s “Progressive Islam” concept.

No to disintegration

Said said destroying relationships for political gain was improper. He said he was sure Indonesia could manage its togetherness and diversity well and would not be plunged into a conflict.

Haedar said he believed Indonesia’s elites and citizens would be able to manage the dynamics in this political year well, given the country’s wealth of experience through history. Muhammadiyah and the NU will keep nurturing a cultural framework and national values that allow democracy to be celebrated in a frame of nationalism that brings forth progress and prosperity. “Democracy should not be only for the sake of democracy in this political year. Let’s bring democracy to progress in order to achieve social welfare and justice,” he said.

In the joint statement, NU and Muhammadiyah also reaffirmed their commitment to safeguard the founding fathers’ consensus that Pancasila and the Unitary State (NKRI) are not negotiable. The organizations also reaffirmed their commitment to improving people’s quality of life, especially through the implementation of character education at all levels of education and through health care.

NU and Muhammadiyah communities are also urged to work together in fostering an atmosphere conducive to diversity amid the massive spread of hoaxes on social media. The NU and Muhammadiyah will bring forth narratives of enlightenment. Another emphasis of the joint statement was to urge the government to apply serious measures to reducing the poverty rate and resolving social and economic disparity.

Apart from urging the government, NU secretary-general Helmy Faishal Zaini added that the NU and Muhammadiyah had contributed – and would continue to do so – to nurturing the people through the management of religious alms and donations. The collected funds can be used to reduce gaps in pockets of poverty.

(DD16/GAL)