President Jokowi Meets with ICMI to Discuss Issues of Diversity

ICMI members meet with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday (23/1). (Photo: Public Relations Division/Rahmat)

Members of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) led by its Chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie on Monday (23/1) at the State Palace met with President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo.

ICMI Chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie said during the meeting, in addition to report the result of ICMI’s National Working Meeting (Silaknas) in December last year, they also discussed the latest development in the country, which is the many issues related to the country’s diversity. “We said that diversity is the fact of life for our nation and no one can erase the Indonesian characters of the people, our plurality,” Jimly told the reporters after the meeting.

Nevertheless, Jimly admitted that it is very difficult to hope that there will be no problems in managing diversity.  What matters is, Jimly said, the current situation must be managed appropriately especially ahead of the upcoming Simultaneous Regional Elections. “It is our hope that after the Regional Elections are done, anti-plurality sentiments must be stopped. It must be managed well. Tension among groups must be eased; otherwise, it will be difficult to build harmony,” Jimly said, adding that unity and harmony are the highlight during the meeting between ICMI and President Jokowi.

Related to interfaith harmony, Jimly added, ICMI asked for the President to have an interfaith harmony forum in an effort to tackle the tendencies of intolerant acts happen in Indonesia in recent days. “We (ICMI), along with interfaith intellectual organizations, are also developing harmony forum religious activities,” Jimly said.

Regarding the issue of social gap which was also raised during the meeting, Jimly quoted President Jokowi that Indonesian people is grateful for the peaceful rally on 2 December last year and reminded all sides of the issue of social gap. “This is what becomes the special attention of the Government. ICMI very much welcomes the Government’s agenda and seriousness, including programs that the Government has implemented and will implement in the future,” Jimly said.

President Jokowi, Jimly added, is very enthusiastic in receiving inputs from ICMI.

Jimly further said that ICMI also pledged to continue giving inputs to the Government for the benefits of the state and the nation.

During the meeting, President Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, while other ICMI members attending the meeting were ICMI Deputy Chairpersons Herry Suhardiyanto, Priyo Budi Santoso, Ilham Akbar Habibie, Sugiharto, Sri Astuti Buchari, ICMI Secretary General Jafar Hafsyah, and General Treasurer Firdaus Djaelani, as well as Andi Yuliani Paris.  (FID/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)