VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Attended by about three million participants, the implementation of the 212 Alumni Reunion at the National Monument Square (Monas) on Sunday lasted safely and peacefully in an orderly manner.

The orderly implementation of the event was lauded by the National Police, the Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Jakarta Governor.

National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said his side appreciated the peaceful implementation of the rally which proceeded in an orderly manner. "It is very conducive. This is the success of the cooperation between the Indonesian National Police and the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) that secured the activity, so that it is running very conducive," Brig. Gen Prasetyo said on Sunday.

He said that the conducive situation could not be separated from the role of the 212 Reunion participants who helped maintain order during the event. "Communities are increasingly aware and smart that security has become their shared responsibility," he said.

Appreciation of the peaceful and orderly implementation of the gathering also came from the MPR Speaker, Zulkifli Hasan. "Thank God, it went in an orderly manner, we appreciate it," Hasan said.

He called on the reunion participants and organizers to pioneer such an orderly manner for the April, 2019 presidential elections.

"I invite all of you that in this political year all would help create a conducive condition for a peaceful election and friendly competition. The presidential election is for us to be sovereign, and united. I hope that it is friendly and it can be pioneered by the 212 (alumni)," he said.

The Jakarta regional government also lauded the implementation of the 212 gathering as very orderly event. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the important reunion of the 212 alumni program was organized neatly.

Baswedan said the 212 Alumni Reunion event provided tremendous economic benefits for Jakarta residents. "Jakarta received the arrival of people who helped drive the economy. Many hotels are full, culinary stalls get extraordinary benefit, so this gathering is a lot of blessings for the economy," the governor said.

The 212 Reunion event suddenly sent a lot of customers to food and beverage businesses, so for small and micro businesses, the movement was extraordinary, he said.

In addition to MPR Speaker Zulkifli Hasan, there were a number of other figures who also attended the 212 reunion, including Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Chair of the Honorary Council of the National Mandate Party Amien Rais, Deputy Speaker of the MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid and Presidential Candidate No. 02 Prabowo Subianto.

The 212 Alumni Rally was established to gather people who were involved in the rally on Dec 2, 2016 which called for the prosecution of then-Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok for blasphemy. When the rally was held for the first time, it was attended by about seven million.

This time, the organizers have estimated that some three million participants took part in the Sunday gathering. "We estimate that three million are taking part in this morning 212 Alumni Reunion, or the same number as that last year," Novel Bamukmin, the event chief organizer, said.

Bamukmin explained that participants had been arriving since Saturday (Dec 1) from a number of regions. The organizers had prepared command posts to accommodate them at a number of mosques around Monas. "This a momentum of togetherness and peace," he remarked.

Participants came from Jakarta and its satellite towns (Jabodetabek). They thronged the rally places at Monas square and packed thoroughfares of Jl HM Thamrin and others roads leading to Monas.

Clad in white clothes, the rally participants came to Monas by public transportation and KRL commuter trains. On a number of thoroughfares, some participants who took part in the rally came using motorcycles. They flew flags with tawheed word.

According to Chief organizer Bamukmin, the gathering this time was an event of togetherness and was very important to be attended by Muslims. It is also related to the commitment of Muslims to keep the 2019 Presidential Election full of peace.

However, Bamukmin said there was no political agenda in this rally. "There can be no flags other than the Red and White flag and the `Tawheed` flag," he stressed.

The absence of political agenda was also pointed out by Prabowo Subianto when addressing the rally.

"As you know, I have received the mandate as a presidential candidate, and therefore I must obey and follow all regulations, I may not speak politics on this occasion, I may not campaign. So I just want to say thank you for the invitation. I was invited today by the organizing committee," said Prabowo.

"I am proud of you all for this orderly and peaceful gathering," he said.

The presence in the event of Prabowo Subianto, the presidential candidate number 02 in next April presidential race, attracted the attention and enthusiasm of the 212 alumni reunion masses.

The participants of the gathering raised their thumbs and index fingers up to form number two as if they wanted to show political support as Prabowo arrived at in the location.

The masses who had thronged the Monas areas since the wee hours on Sunday yelled uninterruptedly "Long Live" Prabowo as the presidential candidate entered the Monas area.

Prabowo was accompanied by a number of political leaders and the organizers of the 212 Alumni Reunion rally.

In the meantime, Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) Tengku Zulkarnain called on younger generation who attended the 212 alumni to help protect the Unitary State of Indonesia (NKRI).

"It is you all who will have the task of protecting the NKRI in the future. We do not want the country to become depraved that justifies homosexuality. We want Indonesia to become a peaceful and prosperous country blessed by God," Zulkarnain said.

He said the Unitary State of Indonesia is based on the `Belief in One God` philosophy. Therefore, state policies or those of individuals should not be against religion, including justifying brothels.

The crowed began to slowly disperse shortly after Probowo delivered his speech and left Monas. (ANTARA)