REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Commissioner of the General Election Commission (KPU) Wahyu Setiawan stated that there were no election rules requiring participants to carry out tests to recite the Quran or other religious texts. Therefore, KPU allowed presidential candidates to decide whether they will participate in the Quran reciting test initiated by a religious organization or not.

"Based on Election Number 7 of 2017 and KPU Regulations (PKPU), there are no laws and regulations that require presidential and vice presidential candidates and other election participants to carry out the Qur'anic literacy test or other religious literacy tests," said Wahyu to reporters at KPU Office, Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (Jan 15).

In general, he said, KPU welcomed the idea of ​​the Qur'an reciting test. However, because it was not in the rules of the election, such tests were not used as a condition for nominating candidates.

"It is not a requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates. So once again, we will return to each candidate pairs whether to follow or not follow this agenda," said Wahyu.

At a press conference in Banda Aceh on December 29, 2018, Aceh Da'i Association (IDA) invited the two presidential candidates to take the Quran reciting test at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Banda Aceh on January 15, 2019. However, IDA said the implementation time may be adjusted to the candidate pairs' wishes.

"We will not criticize, we will not make recommendations, but whatever the results we will publish and let the public judge," he said.

IDA planned to visit the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) after visiting the success teams of the two candidates. They wanted to consult with KPU on the Quran reciting test discourse and to asked MUI on the recommendations of the Quranic verses that must be read by the two candidates.

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