President Jokowi Discusses Pesantren Bill with Ulemas

President Jokowi meets with Acehnese Muslim clerics (Ulemas) at the Ballroom of Hermes Palace Hotel, Banda Aceh, Friday (14/12). Photo by: BPMI.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo began his working visit in Aceh by visiting representatives of Acehnese Muslim clerics (Ulemas) at the Ballroom of Hermes Palace Hotel, Banda Aceh, Friday (14/12).

“Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah, I am very happy that this morning I can meet with the distinguished Ulemas,” the President said.

In the meeting attended by 105 Ulemas, the President explained the Bill on Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren) and Religious Education. According to him, the Government is committed to finishing the bill as soon as possible.

“The Government continues to push the Bill as a legal base,” the President said, adding that the bill aims to achieve a long-term goal, namely building and developing Pesantren and religious education in Indonesia.

President Jokowi went on to say that today there are about 28,000 Pesantren in Indonesia. “The Government wants to provide funding to Pesantren that can be used for building dormitory or for honorarium of the teachers,” he said.

In the meantime, the President and the Ulemas also discussed other national issues, including the Wasatiyyat Islam or the middle path Islam. During the meeting, President Jokowi told the Ulemas about the High Level Consultation of World Muslim Ulemas and Scholars on Wasattiyat Islam held in Bogor last May.

“Almost all the countries present at the event agreed that Wasatiyyat Islam is a good way for all of us,” the President added.

Also present during the meeting were, among others, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning / Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) Sofyan Djalil, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Special Staff to the President Abdul Ghofar Rozin.

After the meeting, President Jokowi and First Lady Ibu Iriana Joko Widodo headed to Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, to attend the Dissemination of Priority of Village Fund Use for 2019 and then visited Baiturrahman Grand Mosque to conduct Friday Prayer as well as to submit waqf certificates to representatives of Aceh residents.

In the afternoon, the President and Ibu Iriana were scheduled to visit Banda Aceh-Sigli Toll Road project in Aceh Besar to attend the groundbreaking and inauguration of National Strategic Projects in Aceh.

After the inauguration, the President, the First Lady and the entourage will go to Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in Aceh Besar before heading to Riau Province to continue his working visit. (BPMI/EN)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Edited by: Yuyu Mulyani