REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Chairman of Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) KH Ma'ruf Amin stated that he could not avoid to forgive every apology. He said a clergy could not avoid it. 

“There is a principle. When somebody made a person angry but he did not angry, he was a donkey. But, when somebody apologized, and then he did not forgive, he was a satan,” he said when receiving a visit of seven members of Regional Leadership Council at MUI central office, Jakarta, on Thursday.

The Chairman of Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) KH Ma'ruf Amin walked to the court room of religious blasphemy case. He was questioned as witness on Tuesday. (Antara)

However, he said, he did not want to asked the Muslim society to forgive the defendant of religious blasphemy case, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok). He let them to choose their own position on this case. 

Related to his refusal to meet Ahok, Ma’ruf said he could not meet him at this time. “I said I am sorry, in the near future, I could not. I am afraid that the society will misunderstood. They would be angry with me,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Council of Ulama's Fatwa (GNPF MUI), ustaz Bachtiar Nasir, stated his support to KH Ma’ruf Amin. But, he said, the decision to make a legal action was depend on NU families. “The trial was NU’s domain. We hand it over fully to PBNU and NU’s families,” said Bachtiar on Friday.

The National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Council of Ulama's Fatwa (GNPF MUI) held a press conference on Friday to show their support to KH Ma'ruf Amin. They asked Muslims not to be provoked by the defendant of religious blasphemy case, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and his lawyer's statement during the last Tuesday trial. (Republika/Wihdan Hidayat) 

Bachtiar explained, KH Ma'ruf Amin is the representation of Muslim communities in Indonesia. Therefore, he hoped the law would be enforced, so the law could represent the justice.  

He reminded that law experts had given their opinion that such cases did not need any report to arrest the perpetrator. He asked the police to act fairly, or at least implemented the Law on ITE.  "It depends on the concern of law enforcers to arrest and process,” said Bachtiar.

However, he asked Muslim not to be provoked by this issue. He hoped there would not be a horizontal conflict, so all elements should struggle patiently. 

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