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SBY questions Prabowo’s campaign event, calling it ‘too exclusive’

Tens of thousands of people shouted Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) repeatedly during the event that presented a number of Muslim figures.

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post)
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Jakarta
Sun, April 7, 2019

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SBY questions Prabowo’s campaign event, calling it ‘too exclusive’ Supporters of presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno sit on a field at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on April 7. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

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residential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno held their largest open rally at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium, Central Jakarta on Sunday, which was met with criticism from senior politician Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who called it "too exclusive" as it was dominated by Islamic activities.

The political stage at the stadium became a site for mass prayers. Tens of thousands of people shouted Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) repeatedly during the event that presented a number of Muslim figures. The event started very early at 3 a.m., followed by a mass dawn prayer, zikir (chanting), munajat (whispered prayer) and Quranic tilawah (recital).

Muslim preacher and opposition activist Neno Warisman was also on stage to pray for the downfall of current governance, referring to the President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo administration as “a dzolim [cruel] regime that should fall”.

In his speech, Prabowo mentioned a number of his closest allies attending the event, including National Mandate Party (PAN) patron Amien Rais and chairman Zulkilfi Hasan, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Sohibul Iman, secretary-generals of political parties in his coalition, as well as a number of clerics, such as Yusuf Martak, the chairman of the National Movement to Safeguard Fatwas (GNPF) and the group behind a series of demonstrations that aim to oust the current administration, as well as pro-Prabowo preacher Haikal Hassan. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan was also present on stage with Prabowo and Sandiaga.

A screen shows cleric Rizieq Shihab addressing the crowd in a video call from Mecca, Saudi Arabia during Prabowo-Sandiaga's largest open rally on April 7.
A screen shows cleric Rizieq Shihab addressing the crowd in a video call from Mecca, Saudi Arabia during Prabowo-Sandiaga's largest open rally on April 7. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

Prabowo said in his speech that he had been slandered, having been referred to as an “anti-Pancasila” person who planned to establish an Islamic caliphate.

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