REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SOLO --- Responding to the controversy related to his statement on last Friday (March 24) about segregation of religion and politics, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) explained he said that to maintain national unity. He believed by separating religion and politics, frictions between religious believers could be avoided. 

According to Jokowi, the warning was to remind the people not to politized the religion as if it was a comodity. "I did not mean to separate religious values in politics," he said when inaugurating Sholawat Mosque and Pondok Pesantren Singo Ludiro building, Sukoharjo, Solo, Central Java, on Saturday (April 8).

Jokowi said religion was very important, especially in the political dynamics. He took policy making as an example. "In making a policy, government needed religious values, morality, honesty and dedication," he said. 

Also read: Religion and politics should strengthen each other: MUI

Moreover, Jokowi said if religious values were not included in making a policy, then the policy would not have any effect. "Politics must connected to religion, but in the right context," he remarked.

Jokowi said in Islam, every decision and policy was based on spirituality values. Therefore, he asked the people not to deflect his statement. "Don't say that politics can not connect to religion," he said.

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