REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAKASSAR -- Candidate for Indonesian vice president Ma'ruf Amin visited the tomb of prominent Makassar ulema, Sheikh Yusuf, in Makassar on Thursday. He described Sheikh Yusuf as a figure of great ulema, fighters, and tarekat leaders.

He recounted that Sheikh Yusuf was the son-in-law of Sultan Alauddin, Gowa, who had fought with Sultan Hasanuddin Makassar against the Dutch.

"Sultan Hasanuddin was then deceived and captured by the Dutch. He (Sheikh Yusuf) fled to Banten and joined the fight with Sultan Agung Tirtayasa," he explained in Makassar on Thursday.

Then, Sheikh Yusuf and Sultan Tirtayasa were also deceived. Sultan Tirtayasa was detained in Batavia, while Sheikh Yusuf was banished to South Africa, he remarked.

Vice presidential candidate number 01 KH Ma'ruf Amin (right) visits tomb of Sheikh Yusuf in Gowa, South Sulawesi, Thursday (Feb 21).

"He was a warrior who did not just stop, until he was banished to South Africa but he was not afraid," Ma'ruf noted.

According to Ma'ruf, Sheikh Yusuf is a hero who can be a role model. In fact, he explained that Sheikh Yusuf was an international hero.

Sheikh Yusuf obtained the title of national hero in 1955. The South African government also recorded Sheikh Yusuf as the hero of that country for the latter's contribution and struggle to fight colonialism.

The title of South African hero was given when South African President Jacob Zuma met Indonesia's 5th president Megawati Soekarnoputri in Jalan Teuku Umar, Jakarta, in March 2017. Zuma revealed that the title of hero was given to Sheikh Yusuf because of his struggle for the people of South Africa.

Former president of South, Africa Nelson Mandela, also mentioned Sheikh Yusuf as an inspiring figure for his struggle for South Africans.

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