Author: Ahmad Harris *
Although it has approached the political contest of the 2019 Presidential Election, a number of parties still doubt the credibility of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin as a companion to President Jokowi. Starting from the problems of the age of Kyai Ma’ruf to health was also appointed as an obstacle from the vice presidential candidate 01. In fact, physically, he is still healthy and strong in activities. In addition to the prevalence of health issues, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is also often compared to NU figures who were involved in the 2004 Presidential Election, namely Salahudin Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi.
According to a number of parties, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin will only repeat the defeat of Wahid and Hasyim Muzadi in the 2019 Presidential Election. In the 2004 Presidential Election, there were indeed three NU figures involved in the presidential or vice-presidential exchanges, including Wahid as vice president Wiranto, Hasyim Muzadi. Vice President Megawati and Hamzah Haz as candidates for President. Unfortunately, in the political contestation, the three prominent NU leaders lost to the SBY-Jusuf Kalla pair. The results of the 2004 presidential election then became a reference for a number of parties to predict the defeat of Ma’ruf Amin.
However, the prediction seems a little wrong. The defeat of the three NU figures in the 2004 presidential election was due to the outbreak of NU’s voice as one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia. The NU vote was divided into three presidential and vice presidential pairs which were filled by NU figures. Meanwhile, in the 2019 Presidential Election, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is the only NU figure involved in the presidential-vice presidential exchange. This condition will certainly cause the majority of NU’s votes to flow to the Jokowi couple and Kyai Ma’ruf Amin. Not to mention, as Chairman of the MUI, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is considered a very religious figure from the community outside of NU. It is not impossible, support for Ma’ruf Amin will be very large in the 2019 Presidential Election.
In addition to his position as the PBNU Rais Aam and Chairperson of the MUI, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin also has experience as a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Republic of Indonesia MPR and Wantimpres. In terms of diversity, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin also served as the Steering Board of the Pancasila Ideology Development Board. The combination of experience as religious leaders and statesmen made Kyai Ma’ruf Amin a figure who was able to maintain the principle of Pancasila to go hand in hand with religious concepts. The strength of the Kyai Ma’ruf Amin is the difference between the previous three NU figures. The figure of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin in the 2019 Presidential Election is actually a conditioning in the identity political tensions played by his political opponents.
As is known, candidate pair number 2 often claims to be the choice of religious leaders and scholars. Basically, this is legitimate and does not need to be questioned. Unfortunately, there are a number of actors who take advantage of this identity politics and manage it as an echo of hatred towards Jokowi’s figure who is considered not pro-Islam. Accompanied by Ma’ruf Amin, Jokowi certainly can reduce the echo of hatred on the basis of identity politics. Not only dampening the echo of identity politics, the presence of Kyai Ma’ruf Amin turned out to bring coolness in the 2019 Presidential Election. The politics of identity wrapped up in an echo of hatred diminished closer to the 2019 Presidential Election.
Therefore, it is very appropriate for President Jokowi to appoint Ma’ruf Amin as his representative. It can be said, Kyai Ma’ruf Amin became an important key for President Jokowi in the 2019 Presidential Election. It was not just to save his position in the Presidential Election but also to save Indonesia from exploitation of identity politics which could lead to division. Quoting Mahfud MD’s statement as a figure who has also been juxtaposed as a vice-presidential candidate, that politics is a dynamic, but above all, prioritizing the safety and future of the country is far more important than just debating the vice-presidential candidate.
*) FISIP students at the Dharma Agung University