Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice presidential candidate of number 01 Ma`ruf Amin stressed his willingness to be a companion to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the 2019 Presidential Election in order to strengthen the people.

"My interest is the people and not in businesses. I do not have a business," he stated, while visiting the clerics in an event entitled "Connect Hearts," held by Banyuwangi NU PC at Santika Hotel, Banyuwangi, in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Amin noted that Jokowi had a commitment to strengthen the people`s economy. This was conveyed by him at the opening of the 2017 People`s Economic Congress, which confirmed the New Flow of the Indonesian Economy aimed at building the economy from its foundation.

Jokowi has an asset redistribution program for the lower classes, including pesantren, he remarked.

"He has supported the people`s economy and publicity and formed the National Committee on Islamic Finance, and he himself wanted to be the chairman," Amin explained.

In addition, according to Amin, Jokowi wants to make Indonesia the center of world sharia finance and the center of the world`s halal producers.

In the meeting, attended by the Syuriyah and Tanfidziyah administrators of NU Banyuwangi, Amin reiterated his mission to maintain a mutual agreement between Muslims and other elements of the nation. The national consensus in question is Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution as the foundation of the NKRI.

"I refer to Indonesia as darul mitsaq, the treaty state. This was done by the Prophet Muhammad in Medina with various groups," he elaborated.

At present, there is an effort that leads to changing the agreement, he added.

Amin emphasized that the khilafah system is an Islamic system, but it is not the only Islamic one.

According to the scholars of the Tebuireng Islamic boarding school, the royal system used by Saudi Arabia can also be called Islamic, including the emirate or emirate system.

In fact, the term republic, as used by Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, is also Islamic.

"The Khilafah in Indonesia is rejected, not because it is not Islamic but because it violates the agreement," he pointed out.

Reporting by Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga
Editing by Eliswan, Yoseph Hariyadi

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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