By: Adi Ginanjar *
Towards the 2019 General Election, religious sentiments were widely heard in various media, Fahri Hamzah also mentioned that among Jokowi’s great sins was because he allowed the proliferation of anti-Islamic and Islamophobic elements. In addition, the issue that the PKI Jokowi had also blown since Jokowi advanced in the 2014 presidential election. The issue also surfaced through the People’s Torch tabloid, which first appeared in May 2014 with the headline entitled ‘Presidential Candidates’ with the Jokowi caricature being Megawati Sukarnoputri’s hands.
The People’s Torch also mentioned that Jokowi was a sympathizer of the PKI, Chinese descendants and foreign accomplices. Inevitably in a short period of time the tabloids that are thick with Hoax content have shocked the public at that time. But all the slander above seems to be logically pushed aside. The Institute for the Study of Democracy and Diversity, SETARA Institute considers the accusations that spread if President Joko Widodo was part of the PKI group because of intentions. There are parties who deliberately spread the sloping issue.
The SETARA Institute Coordinator Hendadri explained Jokowi’s leadership in the face of serious attacks was stigmatizing in favor of the PKI. He also said that the spread of the PKI Jokowi hoax was aimed at political interests carried out professionally.
“This kind of hoax is clearly political work by intentional parties for certain political purposes, can be done by supporters of political parties, it could also be by professional groups employed as parties whose duty is to weaken the legitimacy of Jokowi’s leadership,”
In addition, accusations related to Anti-Islamic Jokowi were also responded to by Yusuf Mansyur, where he talked about Jokowi’s religious side based on his personal views.
“I have often conveyed on many occasions how Jokowi continued to keep prayers and fasting Monday – Thursday in the midst of his busy life,” said Yusuf Mansyur.
According to him, the narrative of Jokowi’s Islam was also widely conveyed by the people closest to him, including a number of ministers who were members of the Working Cabinet. Among them were testimonies from the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Imam Nahrawi and his wife.
“Both of them are close friends of mine and told me one time Jokowi even suggested holding a prayer to Imam Nahrawi and his wife so that their wishes were granted. “It is less religious than the president like him,” he said.
`Besides Jokowi, the Mother of Sujiatmi is also a religious figure, Uztaz Yusuf Mansyur admits to being amazed by Jokowi’s mother who never forgets to read Qulhu 100 times and Al Fatihah 100 times every night. This habit has been carried out by Sujiatmi since the 2000s.
While at the State Palace, Jokowi also did not miss the time to worship. Not only at his residence, Jokowi also often goes to mosques in the Palace. The testimony of a palace mosque guard said that among all presidents, Jokowi was the president who most often came to the mosque. Jokowi’s National Campaign Team (TKN) – Ma’ruf considers that the testimony revealed by Ustaz Yusuf Mansyur was very meaningful in the 2019 presidential election, because it could ward off accusations aimed at incumbent presidential candidates that Jokowi was anti ulama, anti-Islam, PKI stooge and other issues .
Usman Kansong as Director of Political Communication of TKN, said that with the support of religious leaders such as Yusuf Mansyur, the public could be more confident with Jokowi – Ma’ruf Amin. Political researchers from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Wasisto Raharjo said that the support of Ustaz Yusuf Mansyur could build a narrative that Joko Widodo did not criminalize or politicize ulama.
“Yusuf Mansyur is a type of flexible scholar, so that whatever his preaching can be accepted by any party. This position is important for the Jokowi camp to prove to the public that the ulama is embraced rather than criminalized, “Wasisto said.
Ustad Yusuf also considers that Jokowi has a prophetic spirit that is worthy of imitation. It also invites the public to emulate the goodness of the leader, without exception Joko Widodo. He also advised that the Indonesian nation can respect anyone who is the leader, and not easily blaspheme and embed slander or false news to anyone who is the leader of the nation.
- The author is a Contributor to the Indonesian Strategic Information Study Institute (LSISI)
