Muhammadiyah defends its involvement in politics<\/p>\n
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Malang<\/p>\n
Despite its pledge to stay away from politics, Muhammadiyah says
\nits decision to give its support to last year's failed
\npresidential bid by Amien Rais was not a violation of its
\nnonpartisanship.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah leaders and members said their organization's
\nsupport for Amien's presidential nomination should not be
\nconsidered a "political mistake" by Muhammadiyah, although it
\ndecided in 1971 to give up its involvement in politics.<\/p>\n
Backing Amien for the presidency was a "responsible choice in
\na transitional situation to save the nation and the continuity of
\nthe reform movement", outgoing Muhammadiyah leader Ahmad Syafii
\nMaarif said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Presenting a report on his leadership to the organization's
\ncentral board, he said, however, that Muhammadiyah must focus on
\nits role as a socio-religious organization, and stay clear of
\npractical politics.<\/p>\n
"It must also remain consistent to its propagation and tajdid
\n(reform) missions in this lovely country," Syafii added.<\/p>\n
He claimed that Amien's failure to get through the first round
\nof the July 5 presidential election should be considered a
\n"valuable lesson" for Muhammadiyah, and should not spark an
\ninternal conflict.<\/p>\n
Similarly, young Muhammadiyah intellectuals said they could
\naccept the move to support Amien's bid, although they referred to
\nit as a "political accident".<\/p>\n
"It was merely a political accident that was unavoidable,"
\nformer Muhammadiyah youth leader and current Golkar Party
\nlegislator Hajrianto Thohari told a discussion on Monday, without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
However, he stopped short of saying that Muhammadiyah should
\nprevent such a "political accident" from happening again in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
Amien, a former Muhammadiyah chairman who also previously
\nchaired the People's Consultative Assembly, was nominated for the
\npresidency by the National Mandate Party (PAN), but was ejected
\nin the first round.<\/p>\n
Current Muhammadiyah youth leader A. Mufthi gave a similar
\nassessment and said that there had been nothing wrong with his
\norganization's decision to back Amien in the presidential race.<\/p>\n
"It was just a political accident (for Muhammadiyah) but not a
\npolitical mistake that must be corrected in the future," he told
\nThe Jakarta Post. "What's wrong with our giving support to Amien
\nin the presidential election?"<\/p>\n
Mufthi argued that under its statutes, the 30-million strong
\norganization is banned from supporting a political party, but not
\na presidential candidate, particularly one hailing from within
\nits own ranks.<\/p>\n
In what is seen by many as a confused stance on politics by
\nMuhammadiyah, the organization allows its executives to also hold
\npositions in political parties. Currently, many executives of the
\norganization at both the central and local levels serve in a
\nvariety of political organizations, particularly PAN.<\/p>\n
Such double standards are being applied despite Muhammadiyah's
\ndecision to cease its political engagement. This was agreed on
\nduring its 1971 national congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The ongoing six-day congress of Muhammadiyah, being held in
\nthe East Java city of Malang until July 8, looks set to continue
\nthe status quo and leave the decision unchanged.<\/p>",
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