Din Withdrew As Special Envoy of the President, This Said Jokowi

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he would accept former Chairman of the Muhammadiyah PP Din Syamsuddin on Monday (9/24). The meeting was related to the resignation of Din as the Special Envoy of the President for Dialogue and Interreligious Cooperation and Civilization.

Din Syamsuddin sent a letter of resignation to President Jokowi yesterday.

"I have also not received him. I think on Monday I just received him," said the President at the Jakarta Convention Center on Saturday (9/22).

According to Jokowi, he had also not received Din's resignation letter as the President's Special Envoy. Previously, Din Syamsuddin resigned from his position as the president's special envoy. Din said he had sent a letter of resignation to President Jokowi on Friday (9/21).

"It was true yesterday, September 21, 2018 that I resigned to send a letter to the president to say goodbye to resign from his position as President's Special Envoy for Dialogue and Interfaith and Civilization Cooperation," Din said when contacted by Republika.co id, Saturday (9/22) .

According to Din, his resignation in relation to President Jokowi was officially established by the Election Election Commission (KPU) as a presidential candidate in the 2019 Presidential Election. Because, the Muhammadiyah principle that Din had led was not involved in practical politics. He also said, currently he was still Chair of the Rating Leader at Muhammadiyah.

"The reason for this resignation is more related to the Muhammadiyah principle that I have led and now is still the chairman of the rating leader who is not involved in political power," he said.

Din said that his position as the Special Envoy of the President was considered to be a strong connotation and attached to Jokowi. So, according to him, later the public could consider him a supporter, while Muhammadiyah was not involved in practical politics. He also added that his duty as a special envoy was not conducive at this time.

"With the definitions of President Jokowi as a presidential candidate and I as a special envoy to carry out my duties domestically, especially to develop dialogue, interfaith cooperation is not conducive anymore because the community, including Muslims, has been divided," Din said.

He said, he would be a mediator and develop a wasathiyyah approach (a fair middle ground). So, continued Din, it would be wiser if not related to one of the vice presidential candidates in the upcoming 2019 presidential contest. However, that does not mean that he does not choose his choice for one candidate pair. He did not want to express his support to the public.