REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo said there are three reasons behind the quick spreading of issues relating to religion, race, tribe and between groups (SARA) in Indonesia, at the moment.

In an exclusive interview with Antara News Agency in the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday, the President said that issues regarding SARA have been spreading rapidly, despite the fact that Indonesia has been independent for 72 years. On the other hand, however, the nation seemed to still be preoccupied by arguments about the nature of diversity, even about the ideologies in Pancasila.

"The first issue is about education, which is very important. Secondly, it is about economic matters and our annual income. Thirdly, it is about politics. Everything is being thrown in together," the President, commonly known as Jokowi, stated.

During the interview, President Jokowi was accompanied by Presidential Special Staff Johan Budi and Head of the Palace's Press Bureau, Media and Presidential Information Secretariat Bey Triadi Machmudin.

Jokowi said he believes that the three issues, in particular, including education levels, economic states and political influences, have merged into one and are resulting in the people becoming prone to be aggravated by SARA related topics.

"So it is a mix of each factors. I will give you an example of the political issue related to the governors' elections and other elections in other provinces," he said.

After the political events have finished, he continued, the arguments around it should be finished, as well, but they continue to be discussed among the public, as they have been politicized.

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