Jakarta – Rejecting the provocation of “dark Indonesia” is not only about dismissing accusations, but also building fact-based dialogue and education.
Deputy Chairman of MUI, Dr. KH. Marsudi Syuhud, MM, together with NTT Public Policy Observer, Dr. Jhon Tuba Helan, initiated collaborative steps to reduce fears that are detrimental to collective spirit.
Marsudi emphasized the role of religion in spreading the message of optimism.
“It is important for the public not to be easily provoked by negative narratives,” he said.
He targeted the implementation of a cross-sectoral forum involving religious figures, academics, and the media to convey the facts of national development.
Meanwhile, Jhon highlighted the challenge of low political literacy.
“The people are often mobilized by the political elite. While they themselves do not really know whether the policy is beneficial to the people or not,” he said.
Therefore, he encouraged the holding of public policy workshops in various regions, in order to educate the public before taking a political stance.
Both agreed that the rejection of the “dark Indonesia” narrative must be accompanied by citizen participation practices. Marsudi plans to involve the MUI in the national preaching program, while Jhon will collaborate with research institutions to produce political literacy training modules. That way, criticism becomes constructive and has a positive impact.
Through moral-religious synergy and public education, they hope that the provocation of pessimism can be broken. The public not only knows the challenges, but also understands the policy process and the contributions they can make for the progress of the nation. []
