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Jokowi’s new religious affairs minister a challenger to growing radicalism
President Joko Widodo appointed a new religious affairs minister to nip the emergence of radicalist sentiment in the bud and build dialogue with other religious groups.
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Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) youth wing GP Ansor chairman Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (left) holds a press briefing in 2018 in response to an incident in which members of NU’s Barisan Ansor Serbaguna (Banser) youth wing allegedly burned a black flag belonging to the outlawed Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia extremist group. Ansor's Yaqut was appointed the nation's latest Religious Affairs Minister replacing Fachrul Razi, following a Cabinet reshuffle ahead of Christmas 2020. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan)
In last week’s Cabinet reshuffle, one appointment stood out for Indonesia’s vast Muslim majority.
Fachrul Razi, a retired army general with a penchant for stirring debate, had been replaced as religious affairs minister by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the chairman of GP Ansor, the youth wing of the nation’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
For keen observers, the switch marked a return to regular practices, in which the Religious Affairs Ministry portfolio would be handed to a senior figure of the NU, as per tradition.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had made the bold move of installing Fachrul in October 2019, drawing ire from the grassroots organization. A close ally of senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan, Fachrul became only the third person of a military background to occupy the post, if only for a year.
In the span of 14 months, the Hanura Party cadre sparked outrage for attempts to ban Muslim dress, cancel hajj pilgrimage departures over pandemic concerns and involve the military in fostering religious harmony.
Read also: Latest Cabinet reshuffle welcomes business heavyweights, politicians
Experts, however, believe the most recent leadership change had served to accentuate Jokowi’s intent to maintain stability in the face of heightened tensions with hardline ideological groups.
