REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), Priyo Budi Santoso, asked Muslims to promote national unity. ICMI also asked people not to divide in responding the result of 2017 simultaneous elections in several places in Indonesia. "Put forward a political principle that polite, honest, an dignified because that's the morals of the Muslims," Priyo said in a press release in Jakarta, on Friday (Feb 17).

Priyo urged whatever the result of the elections, it should be accepted gracefully by all parties, candidates who qualify for the second round nor eliminated and also their supporters. He emphasized, to get vote in the next round, all candidates should try with sympathetic, democratic, and elegance. "In any competition, there is always win or lose. So do not over reacted to the results of the elections, especially with manner that could threaten the unity of the nation," Priyo said.

Priyo hoped, competition in the simultaneous local elections in 2017 would not to interfere with inter-religious and inter-ethnic harmony as the specific characteristic of the nation of Indonesia as a pluralistic nation. "We all have an obligation to oversee and supervise the elections in order to run clean and free of money politics and cheating," Priyo said.

According to Priyo, if indeed there were indications of cheating by any party it should be reported to the authorities, such as the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu). The report must be included with solid evidence that could be relied upon. "Do not act alone or put out the hate speech and perform actions potentially divide the society, including religious communities in the country. Therefore, I asked once again, Muslims could be model pilot the implementation of democracy with dignity," Priyo said.

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