"I invite all of you, especially the Muslim NU, to jointly maintain our unity, care for and maintain our brotherhood, our harmony, Islamic brotherhood, our nationhood brotherhood," said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) here on Sunday.
He voiced the message especially in the current political year, as the difference in political choices could cause of division.
The former Governor of DKI was concerned about the current conditions when differences in political choices could trigger people to insult each others.
"Don`t be like that, don`t reproach each other. Can you not reproach each other, insult each other, mock each other, spread hoaxes? We are brothers and sisters," he said.
According to him, it is sunatullah or it has become Allah`s law that the Indonesian nation has diversity in many things, including ethnicity, customs, religion, traditions, culture, and local languages.
The President on that occasion greeted NU Muslimat members who were present from all over the country, including from West Java, Central Java, East Java, Lampung, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua, and Medan, in their local languages.
The presence of NU Muslimat members symbolized Indonesia`s diversity as a big country, he said.
" Indonesia is a very large country, from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote Island. Our population is now 260 million, 149 million live in Java, but there are still 17 thousand more islands that we have," he said.
Besides, Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, he added.
Indonesia is also a pluralistic country with differences, various colorful, diversity, different tribes, different religions, different customs, different traditions, and different local languages.
"Therefore, as it was stated by the General Chairperson of Muslimat NU Mrs Khofifah, lets us safeguard values of mutual respect, mutual respect among different ethnic groups, among different religions that we have," he said.
He also emphasized the moderation of Islam, notably Islam which is moderate, not radical, not extreme.
The President expressed his hope that in the 73rd anniversary of the NU Muslimat, the organization would become more prosperous, blessed, and Indonesia becomes prosperous.
Reporting by Hanni Sofia, Eliswan Azly
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
