Indonesia President reprimands preacher for humiliating iced tea seller

Presidential Envoy for Religious Harmony and Development of Religious Facilities Miftah Maulana is seen uttering a humiliating comment on an iced tea seller in a video uploaded by Gus Yusuf Channel in YouTube. (Photo: Screenshot)

Elitha Evinora

JAKARTA: Miftah Maulana, an Islamic preacher from Indonesia, received a reprimand from President Prabowo Subianto after humiliating an iced tea seller in public.

President Prabowo issued the warning after Miftah’s video went viral on social media. In the video, Miftah humiliates Sunhaji who was selling iced tea at Miftah’s recitation event at Soepardi Field in Mungkid City, Magelang, Central Java.

In a video uploaded by Gus Yusuf Channel on YouTube, several preachers can be seen laughing out loud when Sunhaji is humiliated. The speakers are Yusuf Chudlori and Zaidan Bin Yahya.

In the video, Miftah is seen uttering degrading and pornographic words.

“Do you still have a lot of iced tea? Then go sell it, stupid. Try to sell it first. If it doesn’t sell, then it’s destiny,” he said. The remarks were greeted by laughter from his congregation.

The video also shows a man sitting to Miftah’s right laughing out loud along with three other people sitting to his right and behind him.

“If the weather is cloudy, cold, will the prayer of the iced tea seller be answered by God? Yes, it will still be answered, in another form. The iced tea may not be sold, but his body is healthy. So, after work, his wife gets pregnant. It’s good,” he said.

“How come his wife can get pregnant while he is busy selling iced tea? It happens everywhere,” Miftah quipped, making the people sitting to his left and right laugh so hard that they jumped up from their seats.

Outraged Indonesian netizens spread the video. Demands for Miftah to be removed from his position also came from academics and observers. This prompted the State Palace, where President Prabowo is based, to react.

Miftah currently holds the position of Presidential Envoy for Religious Harmony and Development of Religious Facilities. He was appointed by Prabowo Subianto on 22 October 2024 after taking office as President of the Republic of Indonesia.

President Prabowo, through the Head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi, said that the State Palace had given a warning to Miftah in a message delivered by Cabinet Secretary Major Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Hasan said that in his reprimand, Prabowo asked Miftah to immediately apologise to the iced tea seller whose feelings, he stressed, were deeply hurt.

Hasan recalled that President Prabowo upholds what he said in the past. During an event, Prabowo said that he respected the merchants because they worked hard.

Miftah Maulana (centre) sits between two other preachers who burst into laughter after Sunhaji was harassed along with his wife at a religious event attended by Muslims. (PHOTO: Screenshot/THE EDITOR)

“Prabowo Subianto is very respectful and upholds manners towards everyone – the small people, street vendors, fishermen, farmers, everyone. People who work hard, they squeeze their sweat out looking for halal sustenance for the needs of their families,” he said.

“President Prabowo and his cabinet are working hard seven days a week to ease the burden on the lower-class community, to ease the burden on society as a whole so that our country can be better.”

Despite Prabowo’s statement, Indonesians are still furious.

Gerindra Deputy Chairman Budi Djiwandono said that he had heard the public’s demands and Miftah’s position on the President’s working team should be evaluated immediately.

“We regret that there may be statements that are unnecessary. Of course, there should be an evaluation. Moreover, he is a leader (for his congregation),” said Budi.

Similar statements have also been made by DPR members in the past two days.

Online, newspaper, and television media in Indonesia have been busy reporting on Miftah’s immoral actions.

In one video, he is seen violently shaking the head of his wife, Ning Astuti, in public. The incident occurred when they attended the 12th anniversary of the Ora Aji Islamic Boarding School in Yogyakarta.

In his clarification, Miftah explained that his action was not wrong, as it was done out of seeing something adorable.

He also admitted that he was used to doing this to Ning Astuti and did not think it would stir a debate.