REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Steering Committe of the National Winning Body (BPN) of Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno, Fadli Zon said presidential candidates pairs number 02 always considered ulemas as their advisors. Prabowo and Sandiaga believes ulemas have very important roles, Fadli said.

"Of course ulema will be important advisors (for Prabowo-Sandiaga), no need to wait until they both elected," said Fadli in a discussion entitled 'Jokowi blunders and panics?' at the National Secretariat of Prabowo-Sandiaga camp in Jakarta, on Tuesday (Feb 12).

He explained that Prabowo's closeness with ulema has been established for a long time. Fadli said that Prabowo had specifically invited ulema leaders on the 1998 crisis in Indonesia. Of the 200-300 invited ulama, about 5000 religious leaders attended the Kopassus Headquarters in Cijantung on 23 January 1998 ago.

"He has been close to ulama for a long time, not just recently. Even from the beginning, from 1990s, it was not for the presidential election," he said.

The Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives also considered Prabowo is a person who respects ulema. Fadli guaranteed that if Prabowo-Sandiaga is elected, the criminalization against the ulema will not occur anymore.

"I think there will not be criminalization of the ulama and habib anymore. I think they will get a honorable place as national figures," said the deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party.

Fadli's statement came after ustaz Fahmi Salim asked the ulema not only be used as prayer readers. He would even convey to Prabowo that the ulama were not only identical with prayer.

"It's degrading the role of ulemas if they are only considered as prayer readers," he said in a discussion which was also attended by Fadli Zon.

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