Balikpapan (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has urged all parties, including santri (Islamic boarding school students), to respond wisely to differences in the election and not be easily provoked in facing a political year.

"We have to be careful about provocation," he stated at the VIIth National Gathering (Silatnas) Contact Indonesian Agribusiness Islamic Students (Konsain) at the Syaichona Cholil Islamic Boarding School in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Tuesday.

Amin remarked that the provocation was solely carried out by irresponsible parties looking to sow division in Indonesia. Thus, he emphasized the need to be careful in facing possible provocations.

"Now, in facing the election, we have to protect ourselves from those who want to damage and pit us against each other. I urge you to be careful," Amin stated.

He emphasized that exercising such caution was part of the efforts of the nation's founders to continue to maintain the unity of Indonesia, and that maintaining unity was one of the responsibilities of santri.

"This is part of a national agreement. Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, and the Republic of Indonesia are a national consensus, a national agreement. I call it 'al mitsaqul wathani'. Therefore, we must not violate 'al mitsaqul wathani'," he stated.

"If we violate these principles, we are called 'mukhalafatul mitsaq', violating the agreement," Amin emphasized.

"Whoever threatens you (the country), he will lose because he is challenging santri throughout Indonesia," he stated.

While closing his remarks, the vice president advised the santri to continue to increase their role and bring a spirit of improvement in advancing Indonesia to be better.

"Let us revive the role of santri as 'rijalul muslihin' (bringing improvement), santri as 'khafadzatun wathan' or guardians of the Motherland, and santri as 'mu'ammirinal ardha' or bearers of prosperity for the earth," Amin remarked.

Meanwhile, Acting Governor of East Kalimantan Akmal Malik stated that his region is a conducive place for providing education to santri.

He expressed hope that this atmosphere can support the creation of superior human resources, which can bring progress to the region, nation, and state.

"Insha'Allah (God willing), santri will always be the main force in developing East Kalimantan in the future," Malik affirmed.

The event was attended by members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum of East Kalimantan Province, General Chairperson of DPP Konsain M. Ali Cholil, as well as santri from the Syaichona Cholil Balikpapan Islamic Boarding School.

During the event, the vice president was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong, Head of the Vice President's Secretariat Ahmad Erani Yustika, Deputy for Economic Policy Support and Increasing Competitiveness Guntur Iman Nefianto, and Deputy for Administration Sapto Harjono W.S.

Other officials that attended the event were Special Staff to the Vice President for Communications and Information Masduki Baidlowi, Special Staff to the Vice President for Politics and Institutional Relations Robikin Emhas, Special Staff to the Vice President Zumrotul Mukaffa, and the Vice President's Expert Team Farhat Brachma and Nurdin Tampubolon.

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Translator: Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga, Katriana
Editor: Anton Santoso
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