REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former chairman of Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) Din Syamsuddin said, people have the rights to stage 212 rally reunion. He said, the people may express their opinion democratically.

Nevertheless, Din reminded the committee to keep it peaceful.

"It is their rights. I will not come, I never did because it is not my way to express opinion. But, I support them. They also asked my opinion when I was a chairman of MUI and I suggest them to express opinions in peaceful ways. Alhamdulillah, it was peaceful," said the President's Special Envoy for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation to Republika.co.id, Thursday (November 30).

On the other hand, Din questioned the term "reunion" used by presidium of 212 alumni. He thought, it was inappropriate.

 "The term "reunion" is for school activity," he said.

Also read: Tito Karnavian sees political interest in 212 rally reunion

To the participants of 212 rally reunion, Din advised Muslims should represent their majority in qualitative, not quantitative ways.

"In order not only to be large in numbers, but also great in quality, we must come up with action programs initiating institutions for a better progress," said Din.

Din also assessed that it would be better for the action to promote the strengthening of Islamic infrastructure. According to him, Muhammadiyah was more sensitive about religious deception rather than religious defamation. The defamation, he said, will not diminish the glory of Islam even slightly.

"The religious deception that made Islam diminish. Thus, we are sensitive to religious deceiver," he said. 

The 212 rally reunion was held to commemorate a year of demonstrations against former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) over blasphemy case.

The reunion will be held on Saturday (December 2) in Monas area, Central Jakarta.

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