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View all search resultsJusuf Kalla reported to police over alleged blasphemy
Although no longer in public office, Kalla has in recent weeks increasingly become a reference figure for groups and individuals seeking input or expressing concerns about policies under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
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Former vice president Jusuf Kalla (center) is greeted by State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi (left) and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya (right) as he arrives at the Palace on March 3 for a Ramadan dinner with President Prabowo Subianto and a number of former presidents and vice presidents. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S.)
F
ormer vice president Jusuf Kalla has been reported to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police over alleged blasphemy following a viral video of his remarks during a public lecture at Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) last month which has circulated widely online.
The Indonesian Christian Youth Movement (GAMKI) and several other organizations filed complaints against Kalla on Sunday, alleging that parts of his speech amounted to blasphemy as they do not reflect both Christian and Catholic teachings.
Kalla made the remarks on March 5 at the university’s mosque during its Ramadan public lecture series in a 43-minute address titled ‘Indonesia’s Diplomatic Strategy in Mitigating the Potential Escalation of Multipolar Regional Wars’, which was also livestreamed on the mosque’s official YouTube channel.
The complaint centers on Kalla’s reference to past communal conflicts in Indonesia, where he said, “Why do religions easily become a reason for conflict, like in Poso and Ambon? Because both Muslims and Christians believe that killing or being killed can be considered martyrdom.”
“During conflict, both sides hold that belief. If I kill a Muslim, I become a martyr. If I die, I also become a martyr. That makes it difficult to stop,” he added, according to a viral clip circulating on social media.
Read also: As opposition falters, Kalla emerges as bridge between critics, power
GAMKI chairman Sahat Martin said in a statement on Sunday, “We strongly condemn the statement of Pak Jusuf Kalla, which has hurt our Christian community and caused public commotion.”
