Parties against MUI call for vote support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Party leaders expressed strong opposition on
\nWednesday against the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) call
\nthat Muslims vote for Islamic parties, saying the exhortation
\nwould polarize the country.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) raised alarm
\nover what he believed were indications that parties were being
\npolarized into Muslims versus nationalism-secular powers, at the
\nexpense of the reform movement.<\/p>\n
Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party
\n(PUDI) said the council's call had \"no moral ground\" and would
\nsharpen religious differences, while Golkar deputy chairman
\nMarzuki Darusman said it smacked of the old political scene when
\npeople were pigeon-holed into different religious, social and
\ncultural backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Leader of National Awakening Party (PKB) Abdurrahman Wahid
\nplans to issue his statement on the issue on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Amien said: \"I am very concerned with the latest development
\nin our country's politics as there are indications that parties
\nhave moved towards polarization.\"<\/p>\n
\"This could jeopardize the country's future and hamper the
\nprocess of total reforms after Soeharto's resignation last year,\"
\nAmien said at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta
\nbefore leaving for a campaign safari in a helicopter.<\/p>\n
\"I think parties must stick together and avoid polarization.
\nIf the polarization only concerns stembus akoord (vote-sharing
\ndeal), that's fine, because that deal is made to avoid wasted
\nvotes.\"<\/p>\n
\"But if the polarization crystallizes all elements of the
\nsociety into two opposing forces -- the Islamic power on one side
\nand the nationalist-secular camp on the other side, it will be
\nvery dangerous and could lead to further disputes,\" Amien said.<\/p>\n
He warned that if such polarization was allowed to form, it
\nwould then be difficult to build a bridge between the two groups.<\/p>\n
\"Do not get trapped in petty political conflicts.\"<\/p>\n
\"There are only two choices, one is to leave Soeharto and all
\nremnants of his regime behind, and the second is to move toward a
\nnew democratic Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Amien said he did not oppose the stembus akoord between
\npolitical parties. \"But if PAN is dragged into that polarization,
\nwe're not interested.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki suggested that ulemas council chairman Ali Yafie
\nclarify the statement. \"Pak Ali Yafie must clarify his statement,
\nwhether it was his personal opinion or MUI's as an institution,\"
\nhe told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview.<\/p>\n
\"People may misunderstand that MUI politicize religious
\nmatters,\" he said. \"It could remind the people of exclusive
\nactions and policies of the past, which categorized people
\naccording to their religions and sociocultural backgrounds.\"<\/p>\n
Marzuki, who is also chairman of the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights, said Indonesia does not recognize religious
\nmajority in politics; instead, it respects democratic principles.<\/p>\n
Bintang said the council's call was reminiscent of the
\n\"political prayers\" that were organized by the late minister of
\nreligious affairs Alamsyah Ratu Perwiranegara in 1982 to garner
\nsupport for president Soeharto's renomination then.<\/p>\n
He said, however, the decision whether to respond to Yafie's
\ncalls would completely rest on the Indonesian Muslim community,
\nwho will cast their votes together with other elements of the
\nnation at next Monday's election.<\/p>\n
Bintang said the Indonesian Muslim community should not worry
\nabout their proportional representation in the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR).<\/p>\n
\"There will be an automatic mechanism for proportional Muslim
\nrepresentativeness in both legislative councils,\" he
\nsaid. (imn\/edt)<\/p>",
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