Easter in the Year of Politics

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

The general chairman of the Central Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU), who is also the chairman of the Islamic Organization Friendship Body (LPOI), KH Said Aqil Siroj, along with a number of representatives of Islamic organizations, conveys an appeal at the PBNU office in Central Jakarta on Friday (19/4/2019). The LPOI called on Muslims to refrain from any unlawful action and to immediately reconcile with political opponents after the 2019 election. Moreover, all parties have been asked to be patient while waiting for the General Elections Commission (KPU) to announce the results and to invite all Muslims to pray for Indonesia.

The Easter celebration in 2019 coincides with the year of politics, when this nation chooses the president and people\'s representatives.

We are grateful that this nation is capable of carrying out complicated voting. For six hours from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the people were sovereign. The voting officers even had to work harder. The maturity of the people must be appreciated and not threatened. Indonesian democracy is getting increasingly mature. Thanks goes to the Indonesian National Police and Indonesian Military (TNI) for securing the democratic process. For any shortcomings, they must be corrected.

The people\'s task has been completed. Through quick counts, verified survey institutes have released the results. We are grateful to get predictive information about the election even though the quick counts are not official results. The authority to announce election results goes to the General Elections Commission (KPU). All parties must wait for the manual vote count carried out by the KPU until May 22, 2019. There is no need to claim victory. There is no need to declare victory. Come on with that. Be patient and wait, like when the people were waiting during the campaign period.

For seven months this nation was divided. The people were tired. While waiting for the KPU to count the votes, supervision must be carried out. In addition to that task, it is time for us to knit again the national weaving that was torn apart during the election. That is part of the elite\'s responsibility.

The Easter celebration in 2019 finds its momentum. The celebration of Three Holy Days (White Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday) brings to mind the death of Jesus and his resurrection. The Easter commemoration must be given a new meaning about the fate of the motherland, which has been damaged by elite behavior. It is time to mend the social divisions that occurred during the election. It is also time to knit them back, and it is time for us all to rise again as a nation, without being provoked into being divided.

We appreciate the statements of young politicians, such as chairman of the Democratic Party’s Joint Task Force Command (Kogasma), Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, who ordered the Democratic Party members to hold back and distance themselves from inappropriate things and await the results of the KPU. A number of cross-party young politicians have the same stance. If there is fraud, deal with it through a legal mechanism. That is the correct political position. Young politicians and parties need to save for their political future.

We underline the statement of the chairman of the central executive board of Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir. He hopes that the political elite show their big spirit and statesmanship in responding to the election results. "Avoid statements that are speculative and give opportunities for mutual suspicion."

The Easter celebration began with a period of fasting and abstinence for 40 days. The message is still relevant today. We are required to be wise in speaking and holding back. Never make statements that have the potential to divide the nation. What this nation needs is the presence of statesmen who love their people, who are loyal to the path of democracy and the ideology of Pancasila. Democracy must be believed as the only rule of the game toward the seat of power, not another way!