cidiss.co, Visiting King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud was impressed by the harmony in diversity in Indonesia.
“King Salman has praised the religious life in Indonesia, with followers of different religions being able to co-exist peacefully, among other aspects, that may strengthen tolerance among communities in Indonesia,” Head of the Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat Bey Machmudin stated here on Friday.
He noted that King Salman had lauded Indonesias diversity at a meeting with different religious leaders in the company of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Raffles Hotel where he is staying during his visit to the country.
According to the statement Machmudin made regarding the meeting at the hotel gate, 28 different religious figures had met the King comprising nine Islamic leaders, three leaders of Konghucu faith, and four each from the Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, and Hindu religions.
Several ministers were also present at the 45-minute-long meeting, including Coordinating Minister for Human Resource Development and Culture Puan Maharani, who is also the granddaughter of late first president Soekarno, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.
At the meeting, King Salman was accompanied by three princes.
“The King praised the meeting, and said if necessary, inter-faith meetings, such as this, could be held more often,” Machmudin stated.
Before holding discussions, King Salman and President Jokowi, accompanied by Maharani and Marsudi, had a tea session that lasted for 15 minutes.
Islamic leaders attending the meeting along with King Salman were Din Syamsuddin, Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra, Prof. Dr. Kammarudin Amin, Rof. Dr. Alwi. Shihab, Zannuba Arriffah C. Rahman (Yenny Wahid), Abdul Mufti, Masyakuri Abdillah, Komaruddin Hidayat, and Yudie Latief.
Hanriette T. Hutabarat, Rev. Rony Mandang, Rev. Dr. Jacob Nahuway, and Gomar Gultom represented the Protestant Church while Mgr. Suharyo Harjoatmojo, Mgr. Antonius Subianto Osc., Mgr. Paskalis Bruno Syukur Ofm., and Franz Magnis Suseno were from the Catholic Church.
Buddhist leaders at the meeting were S. Hartati Tjakra Murdaya, Bhikku Sri Pannyavaro, Suhadi Sanjaya, and Arif Harsono, while the Hindu leaders were Retired Major General Wisnu Bawa Tenaya, Ir. Ketut Parwata, Retired Lieutenant General Putu Soekreta Soetanta, and Made Gede Erata.
Uung Sendana, Budi Santoso Tanuwibowo, and X.S. Djangrana were the Konghucu religious leaders present at the meeting.
ANTARA NEWS