Text your say: Rhoma’s controversial statement

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Politics and religion: Dangdut singer Rhoma Irama arrives at an office of the Jakarta Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) on Aug. 6 for questioning over his statement that Muslims are prohibited from electing non-Muslims as their leaders. He is accused of exploiting SARA (ethnic, religions, race and groups in the society) prior to the Jakarta gubernatorial election runoff on Sept. 20.(Antara/M. Agung Rajasa)

Your comments on the summoning of dangdut singer Rhoma Irama by the Jakarta election watchdog over his statement that Muslims were prohibited from electing non-Muslims as their leaders:

There is no denying that Rhoma Irama’s statement bears relation to his political intention to favor Fauzi Bowo over Joko Widodo ahead of a runoff gubernatorial race due to Fauzi Bowo’s presence at that sermon. Rhoma as well, had appeared in several public campaigns conducted by Fauzi’s campaign organizer.

Given the incitement, I think it is very clear that he had been abusing his authority as a public leader by directing people to solely choose a new governor based on narrow considerations such as religion and race similarities.

With his controversy, he attempted to spread hatred of a certain religion and ethnic group in Indonesia. Politics, no doubt, is truly hard, even Obama’s identity and background as America’s first black president, were attacked by his rivals.

Yet, as a religious leader, how good it would be if he could give a marvelous example of tolerant and impartial politics to his millions of followers in an attempt to introduce advanced and vigorous politics into the nation’s political system.

Fauzi Bowo’s campaign team, therefore, should profusely apologize to the public and even bar Roma from partaking in their upcoming campaign events.

Our society has already become mature enough to decide on their best leader by taking into account all aspects of the governor candidates’ capability and leadership.

I do believe our people will ignore anything proceeding from a narrow-minded leader, on the contrary they will determine their own governor who can make their dreams and hopes real.

Ronald S
Jakarta

I haven’t seen “Rhoma’s Video”. But racist Rhoma might have been, I’m pretty sure, that he is much less racist than (according to the results of the first round election for Jakarta Governor, published in most newspapers and electronic media) the almost 100 percent of Jakarta’s Chinese voters who, in fact, did vote for Jokowi-Ahok, due to the fact that, Ahok is a Chinese Indonesian.

Chasan
Jakarta

The Jakartans know who their best leader is. They cannot be provoked even by the king of dangdut, if Jokowi and Ahok can lead better, why not?

Cucu Perwira
Purwakarta, West Java

Yes the teachings prohibited Muslims from electing non-Muslims as their leaders.

But Muslims have to accept the leaders whoever they are. That Rhoma Irama statement is not politically motivated.

E Nurdin
Jakarta

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