Stop politicizing religion: SBY

Erwida Maulia ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 06/05/2009 9:03 AM  |  Presidential Election

Let’s get things rolling: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono kicks off his presidential election campaign Thursday by outlining his stance on a range of key issues and fielding questions from audience members, during a nationally televised TV show in Jakarta. JP/Nurhayati

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono kicked off his re-election campaign Thursday by fending off criticism directed toward him and his running mate Boediono on religious issues and neoliberalism.

Responding to attacks against the Islamic identity of both his wife Kristiani Herawati and Boediono, Yudhoyono said religious issues should not be exploited for the sake of political gain.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his running mate Wiranto, meanwhile, have been accused of exploiting their wives’ use of headscarves to lure Muslim voters.

“My stance is clear. Religions should not be exploited for the sake of political competition. Our democracy and politics will encounter setbacks if we involve ethnic, religious and racial issues in those competitions,” Yudhoyono said before an audience of hundreds on the Ring Politik political talk show broadcast by local TV station ANTV.

“It is better [for candidates] to introduce our vision, goals and platforms. Religion should be placed in a more honorable position above politics.”

Yudhoyono’s appearance on the talk show marked his first day of campaigning for a second five-year term. Boediono, along with the leaders of some political parties in coalition with Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, were among the audience.

Taking his first day of leave for the campaign period, Yudhoyono was free of regular duties Thursday. He will also take leave on June 12, 16, 22 and 29.

On the show, Yudhoyono responded to panelists’ questions regarding social and political affairs, corruption eradication, bureaucratic reform, the Ambalat maritime territory dispute with Malaysia, the Palestine-Israel conflict and US-Indonesia ties.

He also addressed the much-hyped issue of Manohara Odelia Pinot, an Indonesian model who fled her Malaysian-prince husband alleging brutal domestic violence, and Prita Mulyasari, a housewife on trial for allegedly defaming a local hospital.

“Regarding Manohara, one must be able to differentiate between family matters and human rights issues. The government can help if it is about human rights,” he said.

Yudhoyono also reiterated the importance of upholding the country’s presidential system to ensure parliament does not hold more power than the government, and vice versa.

When discussing the country’s multi-party system, Yudhoyono said he would prefer a simpler party system but that freedom of speech could not be repressed. He said he hoped the public would learn which was best for them in time, as Indonesia’s democracy was still in transition.

Later in the evening Yudhoyono delivered his premier campaign speech before around 2,000 people attending a “limited gathering” organized by his campaign team at the Jakarta Fairground.

Yudhoyono said in his speech that he rejected neoliberalism and that the government he had led over the past four and half years was adopting what he called a “middle-way economy”.

He said adopting neoliberalism would lead to “people being victimized” and to “injustices”, and that his middle-way economic principles was evident through policies he had introduced that directly benefited the people, such as direct cash assistance and free education and health services.

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