Plot seen behind secular-Muslim polarization<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Politicians and observers warned on Friday that
\ncertain people in the political elite were attempting to exploit
\nconflicts between supporters of nationalism secular and Islam for
\ntheir own benefit.<\/p>\n
Cornelis Lay of Gadjah Mada University, National Awakening
\nParty (PKB) secretary-general Muhaimin Iskandar and Nationalist
\nStudent Movement (GMNI) secretary-general Ahmad Baskara were
\ncommenting on a proposal by a group of politicians to seek a
\npresidential candidate other than those nominated by the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and ruling Golkar Party.<\/p>\n
The three were speaking at a regular discussion held by the
\nCenter for Indonesian Democracy.<\/p>\n
National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais said the new
\ngrouping, which he called \"center\", would evade a deadlock when
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) elects the next
\npresident.<\/p>\n
Cornelis said the plan to establish the new faction was \"an
\neffort by a few people who want to manipulate discourses on
\nconflicts between Muslims and nationalists\" for their own
\nbenefit.<\/p>\n
He said that, contrary to what many have predicted, a
\nwidespread conflict between nationalists and Muslims would not
\nbreak out at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
Citing the outcome of the June 7 elections, Cornelis said the
\nnationalist Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) topped the vote-count in many predominantly Muslim
\nareas throughout Central and East Java. However, clashes instead
\nexploded between supporters of Islam-based parties, namely PKB
\nand the United Development Party (PPP), he said.<\/p>\n
A deadlock seems imminent for the presidential election,
\nscheduled for November, as neither PDI Perjuangan's chairwoman
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, nor Golkar, which has nominated incumbent
\nB.J. Habibie, would gain a majority at the 700-seat MPR.<\/p>\n
PKB's Muhaimin suspected that the planned new faction was
\naimed at preventing Megawati from becoming president.<\/p>\n
\"I wonder whether the 'central' is just a new form of Islamic
\nfaction which is intended to foil Megawati's bid,\" Muhaimin said.<\/p>\n
He said PKB had never dropped its support for Megawati,
\ndespite Amien's claim that PKB founder Abdurrahman Wahid, better
\nknown as Gus Dur, gave his approval for the new faction.<\/p>\n
\"Up to now, we believe the poll winner must be given the
\nchance to assume power. I don't think Gus Dur is that serious in
\nresponding to the plan to form the 'center',\" Muhaimin said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, GMNI's Baskara challenged the view that
\nnationalists opposed Islam. He said the country's founding
\nfathers decided to build a nation state, instead of an Islamic
\nstate, but gave Muslims a great opportunity to come to power
\nthrough a democratic system.<\/p>\n
\"Islam is allowed to play the key role in the state, but not
\nthrough undemocratic means,\" Baskara explained.<\/p>\n
He said there was no evidence that founding president Sukarno,
\nthe man who promoted nationalism, had ever thought of destroying
\nIslam.<\/p>\n
However, Cornelis said that nationalism later became prone to
\nmanipulation when the ideology was claimed by the ruling
\nIndonesian Nationalist Party (PNI) during Sukarno's regime.<\/p>\n
\"This was a historical mistake that in turn weakened the
\nnationalists themselves,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nationalism, he said, refers to equality and justice for all
\ncitizens, regardless their ethnics, religions or even political
\naffiliations.<\/p>\n
According to Cornelis, the time has come for Megawati to play
\na historical role in reconciling nationalist and Muslim camps,
\nthe two strongest political groupings in the country.<\/p>\n
\"She should not pay too much attention to pressure for her to
\noverhaul the list of legislative candidates that many have
\ncriticized as dominated by non-Muslims,\" he said. (amd)<\/p>",
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