Sukoharjo (Okezone) – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that politics and religion should be connected in the right context, not be totally separated.
“So politics and religion must indeed be connected [but] in the right context”, said Widodo when officiating the opening of the Singo Ludiro Islamic boarding school (Ponpes) and mosque in Sukoharjo, Central Java, on Saturday April 8.
“If policies are based on spirituality, morality, devotion and other values which are taught by the religion of Islam then yes that is a connection of politics and religion”, said Widodo.
It should be recalled that these remarks conflict with what Widodo said on March 24 when he was officiating the opening of the Zero Kilometre Islam Archipelago Cultural Monument in Barus sub-district, Tapanuli Tengah, North Sumatra, when he appealed to the public not to mix up and confuse the difference between politics and religion.
This time however, at the Singo Ludiro Ponpes, Widodo explained that what he actually meant was that politics can be based on the values that are taught by religion.
“Several weeks ago I said, I warned at the time that you shouldn’t mix up politics and religion. What did I mean? The context of the warning was in the framework of our national unity. Once again in the framework of our national unity. Don’t let religion be politicised as a commodity”, said the president.
Widodo says what he meant was not to separate religious values from politics. “Religion is very important in politics. For example, we want to draft policies, if this not based on religious values, morality, honesty, it would be a disservice to the people of the nation and state and our policies would miss the mark. So politics and religion should indeed be connect in the right context”, he asserted.
Widodo cited a number of values that politics should be based on including spirituality, moral values, values of devotion and other values that are taught by Islam. “Don’t turn things around, how could it be that politics is not allowed to be connected with religion”, said the president.
Widodo said he hoped that the religious pupils at the Singo Ludiro Ponpes would, in addition to gaining knowledge from their studies also develop skills training.
“So that education and skills training can be developed, vocational [training] for religious pupils after they finish studying at a boarding school, so religious pupils will also have useful skills when they enter society, enter the work force”, explained the president.
Widodo even gave greetings to the Islamic boarding schools which covers all of the costs of its religious pupils.
“Apparently Pak Minister of Religion has given 150 million rupiah, so have I as well right, more than that right? But I want to again say as I did the other day ‘I haven’t said yet [how much]’, so it can be used later as extra if it falls short”, adding Widodo. (maf)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Setelah Sebut Politik-Agama Dipisah, Kini Jokowi Bilang Keduanya Harus Disambung.]
