All Because of Love or Because of Neglect? Fuel Crisis, Religious Populist Leadership, and the Failure of Crisis Management in Local Islamic Politics in Jember
Keywords:
Religious Populism, Crisis Management, Symbolic LegitimacyAbstract
The fuel scarcity crisis in Jember at the end of July 2025 revealed a serious failure in regional leadership oriented towards religious populism. The closure of the Gumitir Route as the main distribution route had been announced long in advance, but it was not followed by adequate logistical anticipation from the district government. The leadership style of the Jember Regent, which emphasizes religious symbols and moral narratives through the slogan "All Because of Love," has collided sharply with the reality of poor crisis management. This article explores the relationship between religious symbolism and policy response structures within the local Islamic political landscape. With a qualitative approach through field observations, digital documentation, and semi-structured interviews, a sharp dissonance was found between symbolic legitimacy and policy effectiveness. The response of the citizens in the form of satire, memes, and digital criticism reflects a symbolic eruption that erodes public trust. This event highlights the urgency of transforming Islamic politics from mere religious rhetoric to accountable and solution-oriented governance.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammad Fikri, Muhammad Muslim, Fajar Ainol Yakin, Chanda Chansa Thelma (Author)
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