VP Kalla Stays Cool After Comic's Tweet
Jakarta. Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he will not report stand-up comedian Ernest Prakasa to the police after the latter has alleged in a tweet that the vice president had welcomed an Islamic State supporter.
"There'll be no report. When ulemas ask to meet with me, I welcome [them]," Kalla said, as quoted by Antaranews.com on Tuesday (07/03).
Ernest said in the tweet on Sunday that "JK [Jusuf Kalla] warmly received Zakir Naik, a person who clearly funds IS. It's hard to comprehend." He removed the tweet later.
Kalla met with the Indian Islamic preacher at his house on Saturday night.
This is not his first time for the vice president to be in touch with Naik. Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi, the rector of Darussalam University in Gontor, East Java, said that in March last year Kalla promised to make sure Naik gets the Indonesian visa.
Ernest said his tweet was based on an article in Dailymail.co.uk, according to which Naik was banned from entering the United Kingdom in 2010 due to his reportedly radical views and hate speech.
The comic has since apologized to Kalla on his Twitter account by saying he had blindly believed in the Dailymail.co.uk's claim about Naik's links to the IS.
He has expressed his gratitude to the vice president and promised to be more careful in sharing news on social media.
In accordance with the Indonesian law, police reports can be filed against persons who are charged with insulting the president or vice president. Tags: Keywords:Kepada Yth. Bapak Wakil Presiden RI Jusuf Kalla @Pak_JK, izinkan saya mengucapkan terimakasih atas kelapangan hati Bapak. pic.twitter.com/jEUjHRJAQS
— #SetengahJalan (@ernestprakasa) March 7, 2017