President Jokowi Clarifies PKI, Anti-Ulema Rumors

President Jokowi talks with K.H. Maimoen Zubair during Sarang’s Mass Dhikr for the Betterment of Indonesia at Al Anwar Sarang Islamic Boarding School, Rembang, Central Java, Friday (1/2). (Photo: Dindha M/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that for the past four years (since he took office in October 2014), the President has remained calm whenever being humiliated and slandered. However, rumors and misleading information sometimes must be clarified, the President added.

“Particularly for hoaxes and rumors saying that I am a PKI—a long-banned communist party in Indonesia— member and an anti-ulema,” President Jokowi said during Mass Dhikr (remembrance of God) for the Betterment of Indonesia at Al Anwar Sarang Islamic Boarding School, Rembang, Central Java Province, Friday (1/2).

“The PKI was banned in 1965, whereas I was born in 1961. Is it possible for a toddler to join the Party?” he continued.

For rumors saying that President Jokowi is an anti-ulema, he denied and cleared it up by explaining that he holds regular meetings with Ulemas and even declared 22 October as National Santri (Islamic students) Day; thus, it is impossible to consider him as an anti-ulema.

Meanwhile, for those who said that President Jokowi supports criminalization of ulema, the President asked which ulema who has been criminalized because criminalization means a person is treated as a criminal and sent to prison even though he/she does not commit a crime. However, if a person reported by someone to the police and there are legal proceedings that follow the report, this cannot be considered as a criminalization. If the court finds the person not guilty, he/she will be free.

“I wanted to let the rumors die naturally, but since some people believe them, I have to  make a clarification,” President Jokowi concluded. (DND/DID/ES)

Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Edited by: Mia Medyana