President Prabowo Holds Gathering with Leaders of Islamic Organizations, Islamic Boarding Schools at Merdeka Palace

President Prabowo holds a meeting with Islamic organizations’ leaders, Islamic religious figures, and Islamic boarding schools’ leaders at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (02/03).

President Prabowo Subianto, on Tuesday (02/03) held a meeting with Islamic organizations’ leaders, Islamic religious figures, and Islamic boarding schools’ leaders at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. This meeting served as a forum for friendship and strategic dialogue between the President and religious leaders, discussing national and religious issues.

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar, in his statement, said that this was the third meeting between President Prabowo and Islamic organizations. During the meeting, the President and the leaders discussed a number of strategic issues, one of which was the development of a Hajj village in Saudi Arabia.

“The Hajj village is a proof of our President’s close relationship with MBS (Muhammad bin Salman), making us the first country to be given the opportunity to purchase property in Mecca and Medina. No other country has received such opportunity except Indonesia,” he said.

According to the Minister, the Saudi Arabian Government has also issued an official decree, allowing foreign citizens to purchase property, including land and hotels, in Mecca and Medina. Indonesia, the Minister added, has acquired a large enough plot of land for the Hajj village.

“We have secured a large enough plot of land, probably around 60 hectares, around 1 or 3 kilometers from the Kaaba. There will be a tunnel connecting the Masjid Al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque/the Great Mosque of Mecca) with the Indonesian village,” he added.

In addition, the meeting also discussed the development of the Community Fund Empowerment Institution (LPDU) as an instrument for strengthening the Islamic community’s economy. The Minister of Religious Affairs said that the management of Islamic community funds will be pushed to be more professional and transparent, and focus on the welfare of the community.

“Later, professionals will take part in the management side, so that we can efficiently and effectively collect the congregation’s own funds for them,” he said.

At the meeting, the Minister said that President Prabowo had opened room for communication and discussion with religious leaders. “Mr. President agreed to have intensive communication with religious leaders. It was very open. He also seemed to really enjoy the discussion with religious leaders, especially the kiai (Islamic religious teachers), ulama (Islamic scholars), and Islamic boarding school’s leaders,” he concluded.

During the fluid dialogue, President Prabowo opened room for intensive communication with the religious leaders. The discussion was lively and full of ideas, demonstrating the President’s commitment to maintaining togetherness and listening directly to the aspirations of ulama and Islamic boarding school leaders. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (JAS/LW)