Muhammadiyah expects local wisdom to give it a better tomorrow<\/p>\n
Yogita Tahilramani
\nand Edith Hartanto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nSurabaya<\/p>\n
The leader of the Muhammadiyah delivered a strong message for
\nchange on Sunday when he hailed local wisdom, saying it was an
\nimportant element to help guide the organization into a better
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia has many diverse cultures. This is precisely why we
\ncannot spread Islam by insisting, for instance, that prayers and
\nthe spreading of religion in South Sumatra should be done the
\nsame way as in Java,\" Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Ma'arif
\nsaid in his opening address to the congress of the organization's
\nyouth wing.<\/p>\n
Syafii acknowledged that changing people's mind-set was not an
\neasy task.<\/p>\n
Strong-willed strategists who understand that morality among
\nIndonesian communities has reached its lowest point are needed,
\nSyafii said in front of an audience of 5,000 people at the Kerta
\nJaya sports stadium here.<\/p>\n
\"Local wisdom is needed to guide these people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The organization had previously rejected all local concepts
\nand philosophy and even ways of life, which it deemed
\nantagonistic and not in line with Islamic teachings.<\/p>\n
Syafii's message was addressed to Muhammadiyah's 30 million
\nmembers, advising them to accommodate the local cultures it had
\nfrowned upon for decades, and to accept pre-Islamic traditions as
\nreality.<\/p>\n
The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), another prominent moderate Muslim
\norganization, is known to be more tolerant toward local cultures.<\/p>\n
NU has been known to adopt various pre-Islamic traditions when
\nspreading Islam, mostly in Java.<\/p>\n
A closer bond between the two organizations, which had uneasy
\nrelations in the past, became apparent when Syafii and NU
\nchairman Hasyim Muzadi joined hands to act as mediators to
\naddress the nation's numerous problems, including conflicts among
\nthe political elite, between Christians and Muslims, and the
\nissues of internally displaced persons and poverty.<\/p>\n
\"Both our organizations need to promote Islam among the grass
\nroots. I have told Hasyim Muzadi, that let this honeymoon period
\nbetween both our organizations continue forever. Let it not be
\njust for the moment,\" Syafii said.<\/p>\n
NU and Muhammadiyah members make up a total of 70 million
\npeople, or about half of the country's eligible voters.<\/p>\n
The four-day congress is slated to elect the youth wing's new
\nleader.<\/p>\n
Syafii stressed that regeneration within the youth wing's
\nleadership was needed and would be in line with the gradual
\nchange in the way of thinking of Muhammadiyah leaders.<\/p>\n
Syafii stressed that he would not involve himself in the
\nelecting of a new leader for the Muhammadiyah's youth wing,
\nstating that, ideally, the leader should not be involved with any
\npolitical party.<\/p>\n
If the elected candidate holds a position in a political
\nparty, he would be required to formally resign from the party
\nbefore taking up the post of Muhammadiyah youth wing leader.<\/p>\n
Earlier, a majority of 91 Muhammadiyah officials voted in
\nfavor of the stipulation that the youth leader should not have
\nany involvement with a political party.<\/p>\n
Final selection of candidates will be held on Monday.
\nCandidates include officials of the National Mandate Party (PAN),
\nwhose chairman Amien Rais was previously a Muhammadiyah chairman
\nand a Muhammadiyah youth wing leader.<\/p>\n
Amien, who also gave a speech at the opening of the congress,
\nis People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker.<\/p>\n
Syafii added that the Muhammadiyah needed to keep its distance
\nfrom all political parties, as decided during the 1971
\nMuhammadiyah congress in Ujungpandang.<\/p>",
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