VP Jusuf Kalla Delivers Public Lecture at Oxford University

Friday, 19 May, 2017 | 14:02 WIB

VP Jusuf Kalla Delivers Public Lecture at Oxford University

VP Jusuf Kalla Delivers Public Lecture at Oxford University
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla last night delivered a public lecture on moderate Islam in Indonesia at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OSIC) in the United Kingdom.

Speaking in the public lecture, VP Jusuf Kalla said that despite having the world’s third largest Muslim population, Indonesia is not an Islamic state, but a democracy.

“Our philosophy is the Pancasila, that places belief in one and only God in its first principle. Even though 88 percent of Indonesian people are Muslims, Indonesia is not an Islamic state,” he told hundreds of audience.

Under the principles of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), he explained that Indonesia promotes tolerance and peace despite differences.

He went on to say that Islam was spread through peaceful means instead of war.

“Therefore, Islam in Indonesia was developed through peace, that was spread in the eighth and ninth century by Sufi imams and Arab merchants assimilated with local culture and local wisdom in Indonesia. Thereby, this has become a Moderate or Wasatiyyah Islam,” he explained.

The Vice President's public lecture was attended by Indonesian students as well as foreign ones who wanted to learn more about Islam at the OSIC.

Before the lecture started, an English-Indonesian named Mariella was seen holding protest signs bearing the words “Boo to Jusuf Kalla”, “Stop Prosecution to Christians”, and a picture of Jakarta Governor-elect Anies Baswedan with a message that says “Pilihan Jusuf Kalla untuk Gubernur Jakarta” (Jusuf Kalla’s Choice for Jakarta Governor).

She protested the prosecution of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok in the blasphemy case.

“I want to live in Indonesia but some have called for jihad; so Pak Jusuf Kalla please tell me what kind of moderate Islam exists in Indonesia right now? I don’t feel comfortable seeing what happened in Indonesia,” Mariella said.

ANTARA