Many question bureaucrats' grip on ICMI<\/p>\n
By Haryoso<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Observers are divided over the significance of
\nthe strong presence of senior government officials in the new
\nleadership of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals
\n(ICMI).<\/p>\n
Political analysts welcomed the appointment of scholar Adi
\nSasono to the newly-created post of secretary-general, as helping
\nto reduce ICMI's dependence on government figures.<\/p>\n
ICMI ended its congress on Saturday with the reappointment of
\nB.J. Habibie, the State Minister of Research and Technology, as
\nits chairman for a second five-year term. The congress agreed on
\nthe appointment of Adi as secretary-general and on the allocation
\nof more 165 100 seats on ICMI's boards of patrons, advisors,
\nexecutives, and experts.<\/p>\n
Most of the top positions went to senior bureaucrats and
\npoliticians, including ministers, albeit in their personal rather
\nthan official capacities.<\/p>\n
The lineup shows that the government has a strong stake in
\nICMI, according to Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid, himself
\nappointed to ICMI's advisory board.<\/p>\n
\"Why the strong government interest? Because ICMI is an
\norganization that represents a majority group in Indonesia,\"
\nNurcholish, also a member of the National Commission on Human
\nRights, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
The congress, particularly through the appointment of Adi
\nSasono, has loosened Habibie's grip on the organization,
\nNurcholish said.<\/p>\n
It is now more of a collective leadership, he said.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish added that, with its new leadership, ICMI would be
\nable to steer clear of a preoccupation with practical politics,
\nin spite of the presence of cabinet ministers on its boards.<\/p>\n
He said the organization would stay true to its original
\nmission, which is the development of Indonesia's human resources.<\/p>\n
The difference, this time, is that ICMI must be able to show
\nthat its work is dedicated to the benefit of the entire nation,
\nnot just Indonesia's Moslems, Nurcholish said, echoing President
\nSoeharto's comments at the opening of the congress last Thursday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Riswandha Imawan of Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity said the presence of Adi Sasono would neutralize the
\n\"bureaucratic culture\" which, he said, has been felt in ICMI
\nsince its establishment five years ago.<\/p>\n
\"I think if ICMI continues to rely on the leadership of the
\nbureaucrats, it will lose its character as an organization of
\nintellectuals,\" Riswandha said.<\/p>\n
One of the traits of bureaucratic culture, he said, is a
\nreluctance to criticize superiors.<\/p>\n
Allowing such a culture to develop in ICMI would run counter
\nto the principle that intellectuals must be critical, Riswandha
\nsaid, adding that would be detrimental to the development of
\nscience.<\/p>\n
Maswadi Rauf of the University of Indonesia in Jakarta said
\nthat, overall, the ICMI leadership lineup still reflects
\nHabibie's power and influence over the organization.<\/p>\n
Habibie, he said, remains a \"central figure\" in ICMI and the
\norganization is therefore unlikely to undergo major change during
\nthe next five years.<\/p>\n
Maswadi said that one of the main reasons behind Habibie's
\npopularity within ICMI, allowing him to be reelected with ease,
\nis that \"he is close to the President.\"<\/p>\n
\"ICMI has become too dependent on Habibie. And this is going
\nto be a big challenge for whoever replaces him in 2000,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Riswandha said the appointment to ICMI's boards of two senior
\nfigures from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) -- Ilyas Ruhiyat and Yusuf
\nHasyim -- does not indicate that ICMI has finally recruited the
\npowerful Moslem group into its leadership.<\/p>\n
The two men are two NU figures known for being very close and
\naccommodative to those in power, Riswandha said. \"It would be an
\naltogether different matter if ICMI had appointed Abdurrahman
\nWahid or one of his people onto its boards,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is the chairman of the 30-million strong NU. He
\nhas been critical of ICMI since its inception, arguing that the
\nestablishment of the organization could encourage a revival of
\nsectarian politics in Indonesia.<\/p>",
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