Aceh Governor Candidates Talk About Shariah Law

Banda Aceh, TAG – Five Aceh governor candidates and their running mates talked how to implement the Islamic Shariah law accordingly in the Indonesian northern most province if elected in the upcoming local election on Monday.
Their commitment and opinion were expressed while answering question by the panelist during gubernatorial debate in a hotel in the provincial capital Banda Aceh on Thursday evening. The event marked the end of campaign period of along-awaited polls that held simultaneously to choose 13 districts’ chiefs and four mayors.
Syahrizal Abbas, a professor of Banda Aceh’s State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Ar-Raniry, is the panelist that asked about the policies and strategies to be used by the candidate if elected as Aceh governor to implement the Shariah as a whole.

Muhammad Nazar, a former Aceh vice governor, who given the first opportunity to answer the question said that if elected, he would try to persuade the people of Aceh that Islam is not just punishment. Nazar and his running mate, Nova Iriansyah, a national parliament member from Aceh backed by Democratic Party and United Development Party (PPP).

“Islam is not just punishment and canning, but the whole side of developments, including the government should be colored by Islam from the top level till the grass root to recognize the public with the religious life,” he said.

Zaini Abdullah, who once former foreign minister of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) government in exile, said, “ Islamic law for the Acehnese is just like flesh and blood”. Zaini and his running mate, Muzakir Manaf, the former top GAM rebel commander backed by the Aceh Party in the elections.

“Talk about Islam is no problem in Aceh, but don’t make such partial like canning because there is still rampant corruption,” he said, adding that the religious education will be improved if he is elected as the Aceh governor.

Ahmad Tajudin who well-knows as Abi Lampisang, a leader of Islamic boarding school in Aceh Besar districts who wearing with a turban and long dress similar to the mullahs in Iran, was no too much talks during two hours debate. He gave the opportunity to his running mate, Teuku Suriansyah, a former Managing Director of PT KKA in North Aceh, to  explain the vision to develop Aceh. They’re running as independent candidates.

According to Abi, Aceh has been granted a special autonomy, including to implement the shariah accordingly, so the Acehnese must understand the religion of Islam. In terms of what he will do if elected, Abi said that he'll hold all inclusive dialogue that involves the elements of Acehnese society.  “Our goal running in the gubernatorial race is to save all the people of Aceh that survive in the world and the hereafter,” he said.

Irwandi Yusuf, the then Aceh governor who also running as independent candidate with his mate Muhyan Yunan, said that the implementing of Islamic shariah in the region has some obstacles as there were shariah offenders who arrested could not be detained.

“It’s needed a qanun (local bill) that has procedures on that. There is not just talking the law in the narrow sense flogging, cutting off the hands, even the more extreme is stoning. We should also think how the Islamic values must be in the chest and head of Acehnese people,” he said.

Darni M Daud, the rector of Banda Aceh’s Syiah Kuala University, who also running as independent candidate with Ahmad Fauzi, one of the IAIN Ar-Raniry lecturer, claimed the pairs as the heart of Acehnese people because they are from a combination general and religion education.

“Islamic shariah will be implemented simultaneously with general education and Insha Allah, the pair of heart of Acehnese will get supports from the people,” he said.

In the debate, the candidates also asked how they’ll maintain peace building in the province by a Indonesian political observer, Fachri Aly. They also given opportunity to explain how to create jobs and develop the economic sector for the Acehnese people by an Indonesian well known economist Rhenald Kasali.[]