Jakarta - Rector of Syarief Hidayatullah National Islamic University Jakarta Prof Komaruddin Hidayat has said religion should reflect human civilization in all sectors and not be used as instrument of political interest. "Closer to the general election or regional election seasons, politicians of all of the political parties send out religious symbols and figures to the public in order to seek their votes," he said on Tuesday during a press conference after the opening of the international conference entitled "Religion in Public Spaces in Contemporary Southeast Asia" in Jakarta. According to Hidayat, religion should respond to politics morally, intellectually, socially, and ethically, but not in practical way. "There is religion as a pillar of civilization, and to achieve this we need to use the university as a compound of intellectuality to build this civilization," he said. Regarding the organizing of the international conference of "Religion in Public Spaces in Contemporary Southeast Asia", since Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, Hidayat said interfaith dialogue should be given a new perspective to assist Islam in maintain a path of modernity and rationality. He further said the perspective of putting Islam on this path made it possible for its worshipers to think in a variety of ways about their religion. "Indonesia, as the largest Muslim populated country in the world and should be a driving force to promote diversity with harmony in Southeast Asia regions," he said. (*)


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