Buchori quits his post at Muhammadiyah<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Noted columnist Mochtar Buchori resigned his
\nrectorship at the Muhammadiyah Teachers' Training Institute
\n(IKIP) in Jakarta after months of conflict with other staff
\nlecturers and the management of the powerful Moslem organization.<\/p>\n
Mochtar ended his term three months earlier than scheduled.
\nHis position was filled by Qomari Anwar, who was previously a
\nassistant dean at the school of language and arts.<\/p>\n
The installation and transfer ceremony at the Muhammadiyah
\ncampus proceeded smoothly yesterday, to the surprise of
\nMuhammadiyah chairman Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
\"(Muhammadiyah leaders) were concerned that the succession
\nfrom Mr. Mochtar Buchori to Mr. Qomari Anwar would not run
\nsmoothly, but I was mistaken. (Mochtar) seems to have handled
\neverything very well,\" Amien said after swearing in the new
\nrector.<\/p>\n
Trouble began brewing when Mochtar publicly announced last
\nyear that he was joining the Indonesian Democratic Party, an
\nalliance of Christian and nationalist forces. Mochtar, a retired
\nstaff researcher at the government-owned Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences, was subsequently appointed deputy to the party's chief
\nof research and development.<\/p>\n
The announcement prompted protests from other members of the
\nteaching staff and students at IKIP Muhammadiyah Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Muhammadiyah Executive Board later ruled that Mochtar
\ncould not have both jobs, citing a regulation which states that
\nanyone at Muhammadiyah who holds a structural position cannot
\nserve on the executive boards of political organizations for fear
\nof conflict of interests.<\/p>\n
Amien has defended Muhammadiyah's position, saying that the
\nrule would have applied if Mochtar had joined any other political
\nparty.<\/p>\n
Mochtar said yesterday he didn't regret joining PDI, although
\nit was at the expense of his job.<\/p>\n
\"I have always been concerned with democracy issues...I don't
\nthink I want to wait until I am not a rector anymore to be
\ninvolved with PDI,\" he said in his farewell speech.<\/p>\n
Mochtar emphasized that the institute needs to develop its
\nacademic culture and discipline, particularly among the teaching
\nstaff.<\/p>\n
He said IKIP Muhammadiyah has had to turn down offers of
\nscholarships from foreign institutions because staff members
\nlacked the language skills.<\/p>\n
Mochtar warned that the institute must be aware of \"political
\nand commercial intrusions\", which could easily erode the
\ninstitute's academic standing.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone has the right to be involved in politics, but they
\nshould never bring it onto the campus. If you want to talk about
\npolitics on campus, you must do so academically,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Qomari in his speech said that he would carry out his new
\nresponsibilities as rector based on faith and good deeds.<\/p>\n
Born in 1952, Qomari received strict Moslem education until
\nhis high school years. He obtained his bachelors degree from IKIP
\nMuhammadiyah Jakarta in 1979 and his masters degree in 1988. He
\nalso received a masters degree from the University of Sussex in
\nthe United Kingdom in 1992. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/buchori-quits-his-post-at-muhammadiyah-1447893297",
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