Masyumi rehabilitation sought<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Islamic Propagation Council in a meeting
\nwith President B.J. Habibie yesterday called on the government to
\nrestore the name of Masyumi, a dominant political party which was
\nforced to disband by first president Sukarno in 1960.<\/p>\n
In a statement outlining the results of the meeting, the
\ncouncil said Habibie's restoring of Masyumi's name was much hoped
\nfor so that he did not add to the list of injustices against the
\nparty.<\/p>\n
\"As the formal inheritors of the Masyumi Party, we ask the
\npresident to rehabilitate the good name of Masyumi, as a party
\nwhich contributed much to the development of the democratic
\nculture in Indonesia,\" said the council.<\/p>\n
\"History proves that the disbanding of Masyumi was a result of
\na conspiracy by forces pro-PKI (the Indonesia Communist
\nParty)... Efforts to restore Masyumi's name during the New Order
\ngovernment (under president Soeharto) also produced little,\" the
\ncouncil said.<\/p>\n
Formed in 1943, the influential Islamic party was a force to
\nbe reckoned with during its time. In the 1955 general election,
\nit gained 20.9 percent of the vote, second only after Sukarno's
\nIndonesian Nationalist Party.<\/p>\n
Continued feuding over Sukarno's style of leadership resulted
\nin an ultimatum on Aug. 17, 1960, which forced the party to
\ndissolve itself or be declared banned.<\/p>\n
\"So far there has been a tendency by some groups to create the
\n'ghost of Masyumi' as a threat to nation and state,\" the council
\nsaid yesterday. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/masyumi-rehabilitation-sought-1447893297",
"image": ""
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