Bandung mayor has 'not given nod’ to bus sermons

BANDUNG. Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil (Emil) says he has not given the nod to a program for Islamic preachers to board city buses and give sermons.

He said the plan was not a city administration program. “When they announced it, they did not have my permission. We have no such plan, why did they announce it? I am confused myself,” Ridwan said on Sunday.

Emil refused to comment on the substance of the program, announced a few days earlier by H. Latief, the head of religious affairs at the city secretariat.

Latief said the sermons by Muslim preachers would be delivered aboard buses, specifically state-owned DAMRI buses. Latief said each bus departure would get one sermon that would touch on the subject of “morals, good deeds, etc.”

Latief said the sermons would be a “filler” while the passengers were sitting idly on the bus. He said it would be better than just daydreaming, communicating through cell phones or sleeping.

Emil was in Manila when Latief announced the plan. Latief said the program was a joint project between the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ office in Bandung, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and Bandung Islamic State University. (Arya Dipa)