New Islamic parties attempt to cater for all tastes<\/p>\n
By Hery Nurdi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"I want to vote for an Islamic party, but I
\ndon't know which one to choose because there are at least twelve
\nwhich claim to be Islamic,\" a taxi driver complained recently.<\/p>\n
The driver was correct, but there are also a number of other
\nparties which do not claim to be Islamic but which use Islamic
\nattributes to lure voters. Parties with an Islamic leaning are
\ndetailed below.<\/p>\n
Islamic Community Party (PUI)<\/p>\n
Chaired by Deliar Noer, a political professor who was once a
\nspeech writer for Soeharto but later became a staunch critic.
\nThis was the first party to declare itself Islamic, one month
\nafter Soeharto's resignation on May 21. It does not strive to
\nestablish an Islamic state, considering supremacy of the law to
\nbe more important for the establishment of a just and prosperous
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Established on June 26, 1998, the party also boasts the
\nsupport of the respected political observers Arbi Sanit and M.
\nBudyatna. The party aims to develop a moral political life and
\nsays in its statutes that wants to implement the Islamic
\nprinciple of becoming a blessing for the whole universe (rahmatan
\nlil alamin).<\/p>\n
Deliar, who is the first Indonesian to hold a doctorate in
\npolitics, says his party is willing to coalesce with other
\nIslamic parties. He helped to build the Communication Forum of
\nIslamic Parties, which groups seven parties.<\/p>\n
Crescent Star Party (PBB)<\/p>\n
This party is led by another of Soeharto's former speech
\nwriters, law professor Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who was among the
\nfew people who witnessed the last tumultuous days of the former
\npresident's regime from the inside. The party claims to be the
\ntorch-bearer of Masyumi, the grand Islamic party which was
\ndissolved during Sukarno's era and forbidden from reforming by
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
Yusril is backed up by former Masyumi leaders such as Hartono
\nMardjono and outspoken Muslim preachers such as Ahmad Soemargono
\nand Abdul Qodir Djaelani. They agree that the PBB is \"a modernist
\nIslamic party\" and \"not at all radical.\"<\/p>\n
\"Our line is clear.This a democratic party,\" Yusril once said
\nin response to accusations that the party was radical. The party
\nhas 327 branches in 27 provinces and issues two publications to
\ndisseminate its views: Abadi tabloid and the biweekly Bulan
\nBintang.<\/p>\n
The party is campaigning for the abolition of the Indonesian
\nMilitary's political role and for a separation of the offices of
\nminister of defense and Indonesian Military commander.<\/p>\n
New Masyumi Party (PMB)<\/p>\n
This party was established by Ridwan Saidi, a senior
\npolitician renowned for his willingness to jump ship. Ridwan,
\nonce of Golkar, and before that the United Development Party
\n(PPP), has now struck out on his own.<\/p>\n
Ridwan said he named the party \"new\" to differentiate it from
\nthe \"old Masyumi\", a party which he claims was coopted by
\nSoeharto's New Order regime. Ridwan recently named Muslim scholar
\nNurcholish Madjid as the ideal presidential candidate, despite
\npast disagreements over Nurcholish's belief that Muslims should
\nnot be political.<\/p>\n
Unlike the PBB, which insists the current administration is
\nconstitutional, the PMB believe the transfer of power from
\nSoeharto to then vice president B.J. Habibie was legally flawed.<\/p>\n
The party wishes to build a populist economy and help the poor
\nto be strong enough to build a baldatun thayyibatun wa rabbun
\nghafur (a blessed and good community).<\/p>\n
Indonesian Masyumi Islamic Political Party (PPIM)<\/p>\n
This party is led by Abdullah Hehamahua, once a high-spirited
\nactivist of the Muslim Student Association (HMI) who spoke out
\nagainst the stipulation that all organizations must adhere to the
\nPancasila state ideology.<\/p>\n
Abdullah says the PPIM will strive to revive dakwah (Islamic
\npropagation) in the House of Representatives (DPR), uphold the
\nlaw, return sovereignty to the people, build a populist economy,
\nand establish a constitutional and democratic sharia (Islamic
\nlaw).<\/p>\n
The party promises to eliminate taxation for the poor, cut
\ntaxes on consumers goods and impose punitive duties on tobacco,
\nalcohol, gambling and entertainment.<\/p>\n
The party also promises to fight for 25 percent of the state
\nbudget to be used to fund education.<\/p>\n
Indonesian United Islam Party 1905 (PSII-1905)<\/p>\n
The party was born on May 24, 1998, as the heir apparent to
\nthe Islamic United Islam Party set up in Surakarta, Central Java,
\nin 1905.<\/p>\n
The old PSII is credited with raising support for independence
\nfrom the Dutch and included noted freedom fighter H. Samanhudi
\namong its early members.<\/p>\n
The new party, which strives to uphold the 1945 Constitution,
\nnow has an estimated eight million supporters in 19 provinces.<\/p>\n
Party leaders have expressed concern over the possibility of
\nthe June 7 general election being dominated by the country's
\nbetter-funded parties.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Islamic United Party (PSII)<\/p>\n
Only the number 1905 differentiates this party and the PSII-
\n1905. The parties strikingly similar logos will also serve to
\nconfuse elderly voters who retain emotional ties to the original
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
The PSII was established on May 29, 1998. Its chairman, Taufiq
\nRusjdi Tjokroaminoto, is the grandson of H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto, an
\nexecutive in the original party. The party strives to build a
\npeaceful coexistence between different religions and welcomes the
\nsupport of people from all faiths.<\/p>\n
The party vows not to engage in \"Islamization\" or to seek to
\nset up an Islamic state. It wishes to cooperate with the
\nIndonesian Military to uphold the principle of amar ma'ruf nahyi
\nmunkar (exhorting people to do good and help preventing them from
\ndoing harm).<\/p>\n
United Development Party (PPP)<\/p>\n
This is an old party which claims to have a new vision. It
\nshed its support of the Pancasila ideology and replaced it with
\nIslam after Soeharto's resignation. It's old star logo was then
\nreplaced with the Ka'ba, its original logo after it was set up in
\n1973. The party came into being as the result of a forced fusion
\nof the Nahdlatul Ulama Party, the Indonesian Muslimin Party, the
\nPSII and the PERTI.<\/p>\n
The party seems capable of conducting a good campaign and has
\na network built up over the past 25 years to fall back on.<\/p>\n
The party has set a target of 22 percent or 25 million votes
\nin the June 7 ballot. Among the more important points on its
\nelection manifesto are women's rights and equal development in
\neastern and western Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Building without demolishing what exists,\" is among its many
\ncampaigning slogans.<\/p>\n
United Party (PP)<\/p>\n
This party is built by H.J. Naro, a veteran politician who was
\nonce the star of PPP and a challenger to Sudharmono, Soeharto's
\nhandpicked candidate, in the vice presidential election in 1988.<\/p>\n
The new party takes a star as its logo, and promises to uphold
\nfreedom of opinion and political openness. It also promises to
\nfight for better and more accessible education for people on
\nremote regions, including the establishment of scholarships
\nthrough cooperation with big businesses.<\/p>\n
Justice Party<\/p>\n
Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid once said: \"If you don't want
\nto be duped, vote for the Justice Party.\"<\/p>\n
The party was established by a group of young Muslim scholars
\nand activists. Its president, 38-year-old Nurmahmudi Ismail,
\nholds a doctorate on food and science technology from A&M
\nUniversity in Texas. Its secretary-general, Anis Matta, is a
\nlecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Economics and
\nis even younger at only 30 years old.<\/p>\n
The party began as a loose forum set up in the 1980s by Muslim
\ncampus activists concerned with promoting social awareness. In
\n1993, the forum founded the Islamic World Contemporary Study and
\nInformation Institute (SIDIK) to carry out political studies and
\nresearch.<\/p>\n
The party was established on Aug. 9, 1998. Its goal is to
\nbuild a just and prosperous nation with Allah's blessing, and to
\nestablish an honest, clean and respectable government.<\/p>\n
From its original 250 members, the party has built up its
\nstrength and now boasts over one million active members
\nthroughout the country. It is represented in 26 provinces, with
\nEast Timor the only province where it does not have a branch. It
\nalso has offices in over 300 regencies.<\/p>\n
Party members were recently involved in helping victims of the
\nMuslim-Christian clashes in Maluku, where more than 300 people
\nhave been killed since the first violence erupted in January.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Muslim Awakening Party (Kami)<\/p>\n
This party does not explicitly link itself to Islamic
\npolitics, but prefers to draw on writings in the Koran and the
\nProphet's tradition, hadith. Chairman Syamsahril says the party
\nwas set up to remind the nation that it is now facing the wrath
\nof Allah. \"This can be seen from the fact that we are facing
\ncrises of morality, economy, politics, law and social affairs, in
\nshort, all spheres of life,\" he says.<\/p>\n
The party aims high but suffers from a lack of funding. Its
\nheadquarters are located in a building lent by a generous party
\nsupporter member. Kami executives insist they want to build a
\nstate system based on equality which is blessed by Allah.<\/p>\n
\"If the people of this nation ignore the words of Allah, then
\nthis party cannot be held responsible...\" says one executive.<\/p>\n
Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU)<\/p>\n
This party was established in Tebu Ireng Pesantren (Islamic
\nboarding school) in East Java on Oct. 25, 1998. Its founders are
\nK.H. Yusuf Hasyim, the uncle of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, and its leaders include Abdurrahman's younger
\nbrother Salahuddin Wahid.<\/p>\n
Both Hasyim and Salahuddin are outspoken critics of
\nAbdurrahman, who belongs to the rival National Awakening Party
\n(PKB).<\/p>\n
The party strives for tolerance in religious life and peaceful
\ncoexistence. It opposes the military's role in politics and
\nsupports phasing out the military's presence in the House of
\nRepresentatives. It would also like to introduce conscription in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU)<\/p>\n
Like the PKU, the PNU sprung out of Nahdlatul Ulama. It
\nadheres to the Pancasila state ideology, but also strongly
\nsupports the introduction of Islamic law.<\/p>\n
Many of its leaders are Nahdlatul Ulama elders, including K.H.
\nSyukron Makmun, who said recently that the PKB and the PKU were
\nnot competitors.<\/p>\n
The party strives for a just and prosperous country, and wants
\nthe military to be politically neutral and to concentrate on
\nprotecting the people.<\/p>\n
There are five other parties among the 48 poll contestants
\nwhose logos bear Islamic symbols such as the Arabic character
\nthat reads Allahuakbar (Allah is Great). They are the Indonesian
\nMuslim Party, the SUNI Party, the Democratic Islam Party (PID),
\nthe Abul Yatama Party and the New Indonesia Party.<\/p>\n
However, these parties insist they are not Islamic parties and
\nclaim they do not want to close their doors to Indonesians of
\nother religious persuasions.<\/p>",
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