BANJARMASIN – The turmoil that is currently engulfing the position of the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia Gus Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, related to the Circular Letter of the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia No. 05 of 2022 concerning “Guidelines for Using Loudspeakers in Mosques and Musala” was responded to by the public in this country with pros and cons. As usual, this issue of religious dimension has even spread to the world of politics. It is proven that a number of elements without in-depth study immediately branded the Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia as “harassing” religion, with various baseless demands.
In response to this, a number of kyai, scholars and scientists in South Kalimantan, Monday afternoon, February 28, 2022, held a meeting at the NU South Kalimantan University Campus, Jl Ahmad Yani KM 12.5, both offline and online.
Present at the meeting, the founder of South Kalimantan NU University, HM Syarbani Haira, Head of Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Kalimantan, Dr. H. Muhammad Tambrin, Chairman of the PWNU South Kalimantan Dr. HA. Hasib Salim, Academician of Fisipol ULM Dr. H. Muslih Ambery, Secretary of MUI South Kalimantan KH. Nasrullah AR, Chairman of the South Kalimantan Indonesian Islamic Boarding School who is also the leader of the Nurul Hijrah Jorong Tanah Laut Islamic Boarding School KH Mukeri Yunus, Head of the Banjarbaru Walisongo Islamic Boarding School KH M. Abdul Hamid Marzuqi, and Kyai Haji Iswaldi, Leader of the Taklim Council in Barito Kuala.
In addition, there were also a number of PCNU Chairs throughout South Kalimantan, young NU activists who were members of the Ansor Youth Movement, Banser, IPNU, PMII, KMNU and student activists at NU South Kalimantan University, such as Dema, BEM, UKM, and so on.
In the meeting chaired by the Secretary of PWNU South Kalimantan, Ir. Berry Nahdliyan Furqon revealed the same point of view among the meeting participants, that it is necessary for all elements of the nation who agree with NU to close ranks, protect this country from movements of certain groups who want to fish in murky waters, by taking advantage of moments that can they make the emergence of conflict and chaos in society.
This idea was responded positively by the Head of the Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Kalimantan, Dr. H. Muhammad Tambrin. According to him, since at least the last 3 decades, massive movements that support certain moments have emerged. Back in 2016 there was chaos in the DKI Jakarta Pilkada, then the moment when the TNI Commander gave a speech about God, and now it is related to the SE Minister of Religion regarding the use of microphones in mosques and prayer rooms. They use certain moments to create chaos.
The leader of the Walisongo Islamic Boarding School in Banjarbaru, Kyai Hamid Marzuqi, and the Head of the Nurul Hijrah Islamic Boarding School in Jorong Tanah Laut, Kyai Mukeri Yunus, added that the Circular of the Minister of Religion was only for the benefit of the people. “I have collected data, the rumors that develop are too far from the actual facts,” said Gus Hamid, Kyai Hamid Marzuqi’s nickname.
Meanwhile, public policy observer, Dr. H. Muslih Ambery assessed that it seems that the incident that befell the Minister of Religion today is not much different from the previous cases. He believes that radical groups have succeeded in taking advantage of the moment. The irony is that many parties cannot distinguish between true news and gossip. Therefore, the alumni of IPB Bogor agreed that all levels of society should unite in ranks, so that groups that create chaos do not easily make movements. The intention of the Minister of Religion is very noble, and we all must support it, said the former Dean of Social and Political Sciences, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin.
On this occasion, the Head of the Center for the Study of Political Geography, NU South Kalimantan University, M Syarbani Haira said, in the future the trend of groups creating chaos in this country will strengthen. A year before the 2024 election tomorrow, their movement will be even more swift. Therefore, there is no other choice for truth lovers, except strengthening civil society, so that people survive and are free from gossip and hoax information. This is all intended so that this country can be well maintained.
I agree, continued Kyai Nasrullah, General Secretary of the South Kalimantan MUI. All elements of the ummah must be advocated, as a balancing of radical movements that can have an impact on harming the peace of the ummah, he continued (*).
