Bringing Up the Story of the Prophet Jacob, Mahfud MD: Please Enter the Palace Through Any Door

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Association of Indonesian Muslim Scholars (ICMI) Mahfud MD emphasized his open stance in facing the 2024 Election. He invited ICMI members to compete in the 2024 Election.

Mahfud MD referred to the story of the Prophet Jacob in strengthening his argument. The Prophet Jacob, Mahfud said, struggled to the Palace via several routes to anticipate obstacles.

“When Prophet Jacob ordered the children to enter the palace, Prophet Jacob said, ‘O my children, if you enter the palace, don’t enter from one door. So, enter from a different door,’ Mahfud said at the Halal Bihalal and Gathering of National Figures held by ICMI on Friday (12/5/2023) evening.

Mahfud suggested that people do not need to be antipathy towards certain parties because political parties are not religious. Da welcome, ICMI members are fighting from any party.

“I’m saying you now have a DPR from PPP, from PAN, from Golkar, from Democrats, whatever it is, it’s okay because the party is not a religion. Enter from any door,” said Mahfud.

Mahfud then alluded to the 10th and 12th Indonesian Vice Presidents as well as ICMI senior figure Jusuf Kalla (JK). JK is said to have not forgotten the other ICMI members when he was vice president.

“After successfully entering the Palace, it’s like Mr. Jusuf Kalla entering the Palace calling friends who can’t enter. ‘You come in here’ (the Palace). What’s going in? It doesn’t have to be the person, the vision,” said Mahfud.

Apart from that, Mahfud criticized the differences in attitudes which were often too sharp during the General Election. In fact, according to him, this need not happen when politicians are fighting in the realm of substance.

“I don’t know if we are going to have an election, what are we going to do with matters of difference, sometimes it is primordial differences that are used as an excuse, not even a program. We are an important program,” said Mahfud.

Mahfud appealed to all parties to respect anyone participating in the election. All of this nation’s children, he said, fulfill the constitution, comply with the laws and regulations, so we will allow them to compete.

“Each of us has support, that’s okay because in the framework of the sentence of the sawa (belief that brings together differences). I went through this door, I went through this door. That’s not it,” said Mahfud.

It is known that ICMI’s Halal Bilhalal event and Gathering of National Figures at the Borobudur Hotel today are ICMI’s efforts to unite the nation’s components and strengthen the commitment to keep Indonesia becoming a better nation, advanced in civilization and respected by the international community.