Gus Falah Urges All Sides to Revive the Spirit of Multiculturalism

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives Nasyirul Falah Amru, or Gus Falah, has invited all parties to keep alive the spirit of tolerance and respect for multiculturalism. At the 13th memorial haul for Taufiq Kiemas in Jakarta, Monday, Gus Falah assessed that the ideas and spirit of the Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the 2009–2013 period remain relevant for Indonesia’s pluralistic society. “Every year, we intentionally continue to keep the spirit of the late Mr. Taufiq Kiemas’s teachings alive through a memorial event like this,” said Gus Falah in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday. Gus Falah noted that Taufiq Kiemas left behind a number of intellectual legacies during his tenure as MPR Speaker, including the socialisation of the Four Pillars of the MPR, strengthening the understanding of the history of Pancasila’s birth on 1 June, as well as national ideas through various state activities. He judged that this legacy of thought remains important to convey to the younger generation so they do not forget the nation’s history. Gus Falah also stressed that many great nations were built through the historical narratives of their founding fathers. In the context of Indonesia’s diversity, Gus Falah depicted Taufiq Kiemas as a unifying figure, even analogising him to the character Bisma in Javanese wayang puppetry. He referred to the writings of academic Melisa Florence Schillevoort, who analysed Bisma’s character as a figure who chose not to hold power in order to prevent division and maintain the integrity of the state. “I hope I am not exaggerating in portraying the late Taufiq Kiemas as Bisma,” said Gus Falah. Meanwhile, Chairman of the PDI Perjuangan Central Executive Board Ahmad Basarah said that one of the speakers at the event, Prof Idris Thaha, admitted to being impressed by the existence of the At-Taufiq Mosque. According to Basarah, Idris assessed that the mosque’s existence reinforced the view that PDI Perjuangan is neither an anti-Islam party nor a communist party as it is often accused of being. “The existence of this mosque strengthens his conviction that PDI Perjuangan is not an anti-Islam party, not a communist party as accused, but a party that accommodates Islam,” said Basarah. Basarah recounted that he has known Idris since 2018, when the latter was compiling his dissertation on Islam and PDI Perjuangan. In his dissertation, Idris reportedly concluded that PDI Perjuangan supports the interests of Muslims, including through support for a number of draft laws such as the Pesantren Bill.