Gatot Nurmantyo (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)

He has toured pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), attended mass prayers and fired off praise for clerics and santri (pesantren students), calling them the vanguard of the nation’s defense. The charismatic Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo has gone the extra mile to woo supporters from Muslim communities.

His videos showcasing his interactions with clerics and santri have become a common sight on YouTube over the past year. In several videos, Gatot ends his speech with the tagline “striving to turn Indonesia into a nation of victory.”

Gatot’s endeavors to court Muslim communities took on a notable tone on Thursday evening as he gathered with 8,500 people for a mass prayer to celebrate Indonesia’s 72nd Independence Day at a time when most people were trying to win prizes from neighborhood competitions traditionally held to commemorate the day.

The TNI said the event was attended by religious figures, at least 19 national and international-acclaimed hafiz (Quran reciters), military personnel and citizens.

Gatot, who has been rumored to hold ambitions of running in the upcoming presidential race, led the prayer dubbed the “Mass Prayer 17 17 17,” a reference to the time it was held on Aug. 17, 2017, at 17:00 (5 p.m.).

The prayer was held simultaneously in many locations across the country, but was centered in military bases in Jakarta. It remains unclear how the TNI financed the event.

The prayer for the Muslim community was centered at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, and headed by Habib Nabil Fuad Al-Musawwa, a cleric-cum-politician from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

However, for other religions, prayers were held at different locations. For Christians and Catholics, prayers were held at the Air Force headquarters, for Hindus at the Navy headquarters and for Buddhist at the TNI information division headquarters.

Gatot was only seen attending the prayer with the Muslim community. Participants from other religious groups later joined him in the evening for dinner.

During the prayer, participants were given red and white colored headbands. Some of them were also given small Indonesian flags.

“For those of you who were given a small flag, please wave it when Pak Gatot arrives,” the master of ceremonies instructed attendees before the prayer.

The attendees waved their flags at around 4:15 p.m., when Gatot arrived along with several notable Islamic figures, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma’ruf Amin and Central Java-based cleric Luthfi bin Ali bin Yahya, who is also the chairman of MUI Central Java.

“With support from ulemas across the country, we [Indonesians] can show an attitude of affection [...] to create a better Indonesia,” Gatot said in his opening remarks.

He added that the motto of Indonesian fighters during the war for independence, merdeka atau mati (freedom or death) were “the words of jihad.”

After giving his remarks, Gatot returned to his seat beside Maruf. Not long after, he was spotted leaving by helicopter to attend the flag-lowering ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

He returned to the event at around 6:30 p.m. to rejoin the congregation for dinner.

Earlier reports have mentioned Gatot’s name as one of the potential contenders in the 2019 presidential election.

Several parties have also shown their interest in the army general. At least two parties, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Gerindra Party, have mentioned their interest in supporting Gatot as a presidential candidate.

Other parties, including the NasDem party, have said Gatot was a suitable figure to become the vice presidential candidate to incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

The general, however, has dismissed claims he is preparing to contend in the election after he was set to retire from military service in March next year.

“I want to get my job [as TNI commander] done completely. For now, I’m concentrating on my job. That’s all,” the general said after the prayer.

While Gatot has repeatedly dismissed any claims he has ambitions to run for the presidency, it may be hard for many not to believe he harbors such interests, particularly at a time when demands for a leader who is accommodative of the interests of Muslim communities are on the rise after rallies late last year by conservative Muslim groups labeled Jokowi as a protector of infidels and an oppressor of Muslims.

The rallies, the biggest mass mobilization the country has seen since the Reform Movement of 1998, demanded that Jokowi’s ally, then Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, be sent to prison for insulting the Quran.

The rallies were launched at a time when Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, was in pursuit of reelection in the gubernatorial race.

The protests triggered deep divisions among conservative and moderate Muslims, as well as between Muslims and non-Muslims, subsequently intensifying calls by Jokowi for the socialization of the state ideology of Pancasila, which promotes tolerance and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

Gatot has often argued that his tours of pesantren and his participation in mass prayers were nothing more than an attempt to instill Pancasila and NKRI in society as instructed by the President.

Political analyst Gun Gun Heryanto, the executive director of the Political Literal Institute, praised Gatot’s move to hold an interfaith mass prayer, saying that such an event could help maintain security and order.

However, he warned that Gatot should be more aware of attempts to politicize such events as the general’s name had been linked to the election.

“Such a move shouldn’t be overexposed as I am afraid it will lead to a presidential rivalry,” Gun Gun said. “If Gatot makes an incorrect move, the TNI’s reputation and credibility will be tarnished.” (kuk)

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