Gelora Party's Approach to Advocating the Agenda of the Muslim Community

 

Kabaran Jakarta, Anis Matta, the Chairman of the People's Wave Party (Gelora) Indonesia, clarified the party's principles and the agenda concerning the Muslim community, responding to inquiries from various quarters about the party's foundation and its commitment to Islam.

"I want to clarify that our party is founded on Pancasila as its fundamental principle, but its essence is deeply rooted in Islam. Regarding the agenda for the Muslim community, Gelora Party has a particular perspective on religious matters, which will determine the advocacies we pursue," stated Anis Matta during a dialogue on Islamic issues with prominent figures from Bogor Raya in Bogor, West Java, on Friday (15/2023) afternoon.

According to Anis Matta, the sufferings of the Muslim community generally fall into two categories: spiritual distress and poverty.

"Spiritual suffering is caused by human disbelief, while poverty stems from the difficulties in sustaining livelihoods," he expressed.

"We aim to transform individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds into future global leaders. This is the approach we take when advocating for religion in the realm of politics," he explained.

Anis Matta emphasized the necessity for empowering the community. As the largest Muslim country globally, with a population ranging between 270-280 million, approximately 10% or around 30 million people live in poverty.

"If we consider this country as the largest Muslim nation globally and identify 10% of its population as impoverished, these are our Muslim brethren, the Islamic population residing in Indonesia," he elaborated.

Presently, Anis Matta highlighted Gelora Party's efforts to champion the cause of the impoverished population, aiming to lift them out of poverty. Additionally, approximately 27% of babies born annually experience stunting, which also requires significant attention and advocacy.

"Now, how do we improve the fate of all these individuals? We can achieve this by wielding political power capable of eradicating poverty from our nation. This is Gelora Party's undertaking," he affirmed.

Anis Matta referenced the success achieved by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in establishing the state of Medina within 13 years. This accomplishment resulted from Prophet Muhammad's efforts in empowering the population, involving them in the construction of mosques and the establishment of schools.

"One of the ways, in accordance with religious teachings, to lift people out of poverty is through education. However, we need to control the budget to make education free for 16 years up to university," he proposed.

Gelora Party, according to Anis Matta, aims to transform the less fortunate into a knowledgeable society.

"The state must provide facilities so that everyone can fulfill their obligation to seek knowledge. God willing, we aim to advocate for free education for 16 years, including university, to create a knowledgeable society," he declared.

Anis Matta stated that this is how Gelora Party implements religious teachings by advocating for state policies that prioritize the welfare of the people.

"Hence, there will be no need to preach in mosques because the entire agenda of the community will already be part of the state's policies. This is why it's crucial for religious scholars to be involved in politics, as our religion guides us on how religion should be incorporated into politics," he emphasized.

Anis Matta underscored that Gelora Party represents the Muslim community in the Coalition for a Progressive Indonesia (KIM), ready to advocate for all aspects of the community if the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka pair, number 2 on the ballot, is elected as President and Vice President in 2024.

"Gelora Party stands as a representative of the Muslim community in the Coalition for a Progressive Indonesia. We will advocate for the community's agenda in the governance of the country through these means," he concluded.

Apart from advocating for free education up to university level, Gelora Party also intends to push for government support in providing nutritional assistance to pregnant women during the first 1,000 days to prevent stunting among newborns.

"We hope that babies born in 2024 will lead happy lives because the state provides comprehensive facilities, thus bringing fortune to the next generation in Indonesia," he concluded.