REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The head of Daarut Tauhid Islamic Boarding School, Abdullah Gymnastiar (Aa Gym), gave a message to the Jakarta citizens who will be voting on Wednesday. In an audio message sent to Republika.co.id, Aa Gym said as part of Indonesian society, he entrusted his expectations to Jakarta citizens. "Please chose the leader who has the characters of shiddiq, true faith, morals and has good intentions in leading for the truth," he said.
Shiddiq means that one's words speaks the truth and in line with the actions. Aa Gym also hoped Jakarta citizens would vote for a trustworthy leader. "Leadership is not about style or prestige, it's a heavy mandate that should be accountable before God," he remarked.
He advised the peoples to chose a leader who is intelligent in life, understands how to behave, wisely lead, and leads properly and fairly. A leader, he added, should have the character of tabligh. It means the leader behaviour could be a role model and his leadership would be the way of spreading goodness and truth.
Aa Gym said a leader should be able to increase faith and morals of the society. According to him, physical development was not the only one that matters. "We entrusted our voice to you," he said.