Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) may have a plan to embrace pluralism and become more inclusive in order to woo more voters, but a senior member's verbal gaffe showed the party had an uphill challenge ahead of it.
Former PKS president and current Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring recently made a controversial statement when he compared widely circulating sex videos allegedly featuring three celebrities with the crucifixion of Jesus.
Tifatul said during a breakfast meeting at his ministry that if the celebrities allegedly acting in the video were only "look-a-likes", it would have long-lasting and heavy implications.
Critics say the statement hinted that Tifatul believed the idea was similar to the difference in interpretations between Muslims and Christians on the crucifixion of Jesus. Islam perceives that the crucified man was a look-a-like, whereas Christianity holds that it was indeed Jesus.
Tifatul issued an apology after his remarks aroused controversy on Twitter.
Research Institute for Democracy and a Prosperous State (Pedoman) director Fadjroel Rachman told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the public would cast doubt over the party's commitment to pluralism following the incident.
Fadjroel also said the PKS would be unable to convince the public unless its leaders dared to break conservatism by, among others, greeting other believers on their religious holidays
"How could you expect to be a pluralist party if both your former and current president [Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq] refuse to greet people of other religions on their religious holidays?" Fadjroel said, referring to an incident in which Tifatul refused to greet Christians on Christmas.
A PKS executive speaking on condition of anonymity said Tifatul's antics could hinder the party from its goal of becoming a pluralist party.
PKS deputy secretary-general Fahri Hamzah suggested that Tifatul clarify his remarks and apologize if there was indeed a mistake that could offend people.
Despite the setback, PKS president Luthfi said on the sidelines of the party congress at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Jakarta that the party was indeed serious about accepting non-Muslims as members and appointing more non-Mulims in the party's new structure either at the central or regional level.
"Our motto has always been clean, caring and professional. Non-Muslims with these qualities exist. As long as an individual possesses these qualities, they deserve one of the PKS' executive posts," he said.
Fahri added that some changes would be made to make it easier for non-Muslims to join the party and hold executive posts. One of the changes involves the obligatory citation of the Islamic creed by those appointed to the PKS executive body.
During a press conference at the hotel, several Christian PKS officials said they believed their party would be able to become more pluralist.
"What we saw by joining the PKS is that we were given the chance to do our bit for the community. We see no problems at all on the issue of religious differences," Agus Yando, a chairman of a PKS regional branch in Papua, said.