REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SEMARANG -- Presidential candidate number 02 Prabowo Subianto finally welcomed to perform Friday prayers at the Kauman Grand mosque, on Friday (Feb 15). He arrived at the masjid at around 11.50 local time, just a few minutes before the call to prayer echoed.

However, the journalists who were waiting at the main gate and yard of Kauman mosque barely aware of Prabowo's arrival because he entered the masjid through other gate. Prabowo was accompanied by the Debate Materials Director of National Winning Body (BPN) Sudirman Said and several officials of the management of Gerindra Party of Central Java Province.

Prabowo then went straight to join the congregation. He sat at the mid row but the congregation invited him to be in the first row, right in front of the mihrab.

Presidential candidate number 02 Prabowo Subianto (left) performs Friday prayer at Kauman mosque, Semarang, Central Java, Friday (Feb 15).

Acting as preacher was H Abdul Hakim and the imam of the prayer was KH Ahmad Najib Nur.

Upon Prabowo's arrival, a number of police officers were seen guarding in front of the mosque, especially along Jalan Alon Alon Barat accessing Jalan Kauman Raya.  However, the presence of these police officers did not disturb the worshippers.

After performing Friday prayer, Prabowo immediately left the Kauman mosque through the side door.

Previously, the management of mosque rejected Prabowo's plan to pray at Kauman mosque as they found pamphlet bearing invitation to join Friday prayer with Prabowo. However, Prabowo's campaign team denied the accusations of using mosque for campaign.

The Semarang Kauman Grand Mosque management stated they wanted the place of worship to be free from political activities. Therefore, they filed a report against Prabowo to the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) on alleged politicizing masjid."We have submitted the chronology to Bawaslu of Semarang," said Chairman of the Semarang Grand Mosque, KH Hanief Ismail, in Semarang, on Thursday (Feb 14).

Hanief said, Bawaslu Semarang has not made a written statement to respond their report. However, Bawaslu officials promised them that supervisors will be sent to see the conditions at the Kauman Mosque on Friday (Feb 15).

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