Candidates Urged Not to Use Ramadan for Political Campaigns

Jakarta (Antara) - The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) called on presidential and vice presidential candidates and their success teams not to make the Ramadan fasting month a subject for their political campaigns. "The Muslim fasting month coincides with the presidential election campaign period. In order to maintain convenience for Muslim to perform religious duties, candidates and their success teams should not mix religious matters with certain political interests," Deputy Secretary General of MUI Amirsyah Tambunan said here on Monday. He said MUI did not prohibit success teams and presidential and vice presidential candidates from jointly praying with the public, having joint predawn meals and breaking the fast together with other people from the Muslim community. However, MUI hoped that there will be no campaigns conducted in places of worship, let alone defaming and slandering other candidate pairs, he added. "Muslims are waiting for the fasting month, which particularly helps in building people physically and their positive mentality. The coincidence of campaigns and fasting should be used as a momentum to develop the nation," Amirsyah said. In a separate place, Secretary General of the Indonesian Muslim's largest organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Marsudi said his organization hoped that preachers at mosques will not discuss subjects that gave the impression of political campaigns. "Preachers in their sermons during Friday and evening tarawih prayers should not direct congregations to choose certain presidential candidate pairs. There is no guarantee that members of religious congregation have the same choice," he added. (*)