Muslim-based parties turn inclusive ahead of polls<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Islamic-leaning political parties contesting this year's general
\nelections have selected more non-Muslim candidates, a move to
\npluralism that has been welcomed by political commentators.<\/p>\n
Several Muslim-based political parties such as the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and even
\nthe strict Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), have nominated
\nprominent non-Muslims in their lists of legislative candidates.<\/p>\n
The PKB's high profile non-Muslim candidates include, AB
\nSusanto, the former chairman of the Forum of Indonesian Catholic
\nCommunities (FMKI), who tops the candidacy list for the Jakarta I
\nelectoral district, and Ajeng Theresia Indrawati, who ranks
\nseventh. In North Sulawesi, Ferry Tinggogoi, a Christian, heads
\nthe PKB's candidacy list for the legislative election.<\/p>\n
PAN, the political party supported by members of the country's
\nsecond largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, has enlisted
\namong others, legislator Alvin Lie, a Buddhist, in its roster of
\nlegislative aspirants for Central Java and Rev. Janes Johan
\nKarubaba for West Papua.<\/p>\n
The party's leader Amien Rais has said religious affinities is
\nno longer an effective way to attract voters and the time is
\nright for faith-based parties to shed their exclusive outlooks.<\/p>\n
In a similar vein, the PKS, a political party that has long
\nbeen interpreted as a political vehicle for Muslim hardliners,
\nhas also embraced those from other religions into its fold.<\/p>\n
In Papua and North Sumatra, the PKS has put up a majority of
\nnon-Muslims to contest seats in the provincial legislature.<\/p>\n
Earlier PKS leader Hidayat Nur Wahid said thousands of
\nChristians from South Maluku had joined the party.<\/p>\n
The same was true for PKS candidates in the two provinces.<\/p>\n
\"It was the locals who first approached our party branches in
\nthe provinces and expressed their willingness to run for
\nlegislative positions. There are no strings attached,\" Untung
\nWahono, head of PKS political affairs, defense and security told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the PKS did not object to non-Muslims representing it.
\n\"We consider them representatives of certain groups whose rights
\nneeded to be freely exercised,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Muslim scholar Komarudin Hidayat of Paramadina Mulia
\nUniversity said by including non-Muslim candidates, Islamic-
\nleaning political parties were taking a great leap forward in
\npromoting pluralism and religious tolerance.<\/p>\n
They were sending voters a message they should not vote for
\ncandidates based on their religious background but on their
\npersonal integrity and political vision.<\/p>\n
On the downside, Komarudin said the move could at worst be
\ninterpreted as a cynical grab for voters, at best a pragmatism
\nmotivated by necessity.<\/p>\n
\"These parties have been frustrated by their failure to garner
\nsupport from people of other religious beliefs, and now they have
\nturned to embracing them. However, these parties can not leave
\ntheir original constituents behind,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said political parties such as PAN and the PKB could not
\nforget their grassroots supporters were Muslims, members of
\nMuhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, respectively.<\/p>",
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