Author: Ahmad Harris *
Before the campaign period of the 2019 Presidential Election began, identity politics had been used by certain parties to obtain support from the public. Starting from the initiation of the movement that wants to replace the President, until the movement on the basis of defending Islam is echoed every day. In fact, the movements that oppose President Jokowi merged and acted on behalf of themselves as groups that wanted to defend Islam and the state from the dzaliman of government in this country. Although the movement seemed to be sterile from political riders, in fact the movement managed the psychology of society for political purposes. Through the figures appointed to give speeches or make speeches in front of the crowd, the people involved in experiencing shifting social norms became the norm of the group.
What according to the group is correct, is the right norm for every individual involved in the group. For example, the Prabowo supporters camp had previously considered a Tuan Guru Bajang as a polite and humble cleric who was right to lead the country. However, after Tuan Guru Bajang expressed his support for Jokowi, Prabowo’s camp was harshly insulting him. Even the abbreviation TGB (Tuan Guru Bajang) was changed to Tuan Guru Bastard. Whereas in the norms that should be, it is not feasible if a society insults the ulama leaders. However, the shifting of social norms into group norms obscures the views of individuals involved.
The same thing happened to the Kyai Ma’ruf Amin. As is known, supporters of the Prabowo camp were also joined by most of the 212 reunion individuals, in which the Kyai Ma’ruf Amin had been involved as the lead actor in the movement. It can be said, the movement 212 had defended the Ma’ruf Amin Kyai in such a way as to achieve the desired goal at that time. However, after the Kyai Ma’ruf Amin was appointed as Jokowi’s Vice-Chancellor, he was even demeaned and insulted as an inconsistent and inconsistent cleric. The occurrence of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin and Tuan Guru Bajang is a bit of an impact that occurred due to the identity politics played by Prabowo’s camp. Prabowo’s party seems to provide a stereotype that the party behind it is the true Islamic scholars. Meanwhile, scholars who did not support him were the wrong Islamic scholars. Of course this is very dangerous, the long-term impact of this identity politics will actually be a spreader of hatred and the seeds of division among the people.
Fortunately, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin as the figure most often attacked by the Prabowo camp was able to manage the identity politics. Despite being insulted in such a way, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin never once responded to those who insulted him. This is where the key role of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin in the 2019 Presidential Election. He actually managed to reduce the dirty efforts of identity politics towards him by showing an attitude that was always friendly and polite. Indirectly, this attitude slowly dampens the tension and anger of the supporters. In fact, the opposition was increasingly down to see the action of politicization of identity and provocation not working on the Kyai Ma’ruf Amin.
The presence of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin on the side of Jokowi became an identity political neutralizer that was echoed by the opposition faction. If the opposition is analogous to the fire that burned Indonesia, then Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is present as water that extinguishes the fire. His attitude that accepts insults wisely becomes a reflection of the proverb “tubal water is returned to milk”. It can be said, the role of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin in the 2019 Presidential Election is conditioning in the midst of the heat of identity politics built by the opposition.
Indeed, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is the choice of the most suitable Vice President for Jokowi. Besides being able to reduce the heat in the 2019 presidential election later. Kyai Ma’ruf Amin was also able to become a voice filter and large mass support from NU as the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia. Based on these two advantages, in my opinion, Jokowi’s victory has been determined since he chose Kyai Ma’ruf Amin as his representative. In this 2019 Presidential Election, Jokowi’s victory will be a sign of Indonesia’s victory over identity politics which is very contrary to the state slogan “Unity in Diversity”.
*) FISIP students at the Dharma Agung University
