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Controversial campaign remarks cause backlash, protests
From Muslims altering prayers to wives causing as corruption and Bekasi people's "thin wallets", candidates and supporters are being called on to apologize for their contentious statements on the campaign trail.
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University students hold a rally at the General Elections Commission (KPU) office in Jakarta on Dec. 21, 2023. The protesters called for the 2024 elections to be held peacefully and ethically. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
The election campaign in the past week was marred by blunders and slip-up statements that many regard as offensive to Muslims, women and the poor, and which have sparked nationwide controversy.
Among the controversial remarks most talked about was a statement made by Trade Minister and National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Zulkifli Hasan, who joked that some Muslims recently changed the recital of their prayers to show support for presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
PAN is one of the parties backing Prabowo-Gibran’s bid in the upcoming presidential election under the Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) electoral alliance.
While giving a speech at the national meeting of the Indonesian Market Traders Association (APPSI) in Semarang, Central Java, on Dec. 19, Zulkifli said that some Muslims refrained from saying “amin” (amen) while saying prayers to show their support for the defense minister’s presidential bid.
During prayers congregations usually recite “amin” loudly after the imam, the prayer leader, finishes reciting the opening surah of Al Fatihah. The acronym AMIN is used by the campaign team of presidential pair Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar.
“When the imam finishes reciting Al Fatihah, there are people who go silent [and don’t reply with ‘amin’], as they love Pak Prabowo,” Zulkifli said, as seen in clips going viral on social media.
He also joked that at the end of the prayer, some Muslims also opted to point two fingers, referring to Prabowo-Gibran’s ballot number, instead of the obligatory pointing of the index finger only.
