The president sees Islam in Indonesia as not only a religion but also a socio-political power which is part of the national diversity."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Director of Trisakti Study Center Fahmi Habsee said one should not doubt the commitment of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to Islam.

"The president sees Islam in Indonesia as not only a religion but also a socio-political power which is part of the national diversity," Habsee said here on Monday.

He was not surprised that Jokowi was present in the mass Friday Prayers on Dec 2.

"His argument is that Islam in Indonesia was not only the religion of the majority but also the civilization that influences the national history and culture," he added.

The sense of nationalism and Islam should not be contradictory, because it is like two sides of the same coin, he remarked.

As the majority, Indonesian Muslims still respect and protect non-Muslims in the country and live side by side with them harmoniously, he stated.

Jokowi flanked by Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Gatot Nurmantyo, and Chief of the Indonesian Police General Tito Karnavian attended the mass prayers organized on Friday (Dec 2) in the National Monument (Monas) and the surrounding areas.

The mass Friday payers was attended by several millions of people and was believed to be largest Friday prayer.

(Reported by Feru Lantara/Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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