Religious leaders reject parties based on religion<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Religious leaders yesterday warned against the
\nformation of new political parties with ethnic or religious
\norientations, fearing that such organizations could lead to
\nnational disintegration.<\/p>\n
Hasan Basri, chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI),
\nsaid such new political parties were nominally legal but warned
\nthat the use of religious symbols could create a sense of
\nexclusivity and cause tension.<\/p>\n
\"The presence of new parties outside the previously existing
\nones is something legal and good. But parties using religious
\nsymbols and teachings will be seen as exclusive and contain SARA
\n(an acronym for tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal
\ngroups),\" he said during a hearing with the House of
\nRepresentatives Commission VII on education, religion, sports and
\nyouth affairs here yesterday.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, all political parties should be free from
\nreligious sentiments and ascribe to the state ideology of
\nPancasila and the 1945 Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"I believe that in the future, political parties based on
\nreligious affiliations will be unpopular and disrupt national
\nunity,\" he said.<\/p>\n
New parties have been popping up due to the country's new
\nclimate of political openness. While no parties based on a
\nparticular religion have been established, there are indications
\nthat one may soon appear.<\/p>\n
The establishment of the Chinese-Indonesian Reform Party
\n(Parti) drew strong criticism from Chinese Moslem groups despite
\nthe new party's affirmations that it was open to all elements of
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
Sularso Sopater, chairman of the Indonesian Communion of
\nChurches (PGI), criticized the idea of setting up religious-based
\npolitical parties, which have been called for by certain groups.<\/p>\n
He described the establishment of such parties as nothing more
\nthan a setback to national unity.<\/p>\n
\"Public and private life based on Pancasila and the
\nConstitution should be maintained consistently regardless of
\nrace, ethnicity, religion and tribal affiliation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said PGI would not endorse the establishment of religious-
\nbased political parties because such organizations would likely
\ntrigger division and disintegration.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Bishops Council (KWI) has reacted cautiously on
\nthe issue, saying it would wait for new parties to grow before
\nmaking an official stand.<\/p>\n
\"The decisive factor in a party is its mission. Parties should
\nbe closely monitored to see if they are fighting for the people's
\nwelfare or their own interests,\" KWI secretary-general Y.
\nHadiwikarta said.<\/p>\n
He maintained that a political party could be religiously
\noriented but, in practice, it must fight for the interests of a
\nmajority of the people.<\/p>\n
Blamed<\/p>\n
Hadiwikarta blamed the politically repressive Soeharto regime
\nfor the current rush by various groups to establish new parties.<\/p>\n
\"Repressed groups are now free and they are setting up parties
\nto voice their interests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Hindu Dharma Council (PHBI) and the Buddhist
\nCouncil (Walubi) voiced the opinion that the use of religious
\nsymbols by any political parties would only serve to tarnish a
\nreligion's image and damage the party's own general popularity.<\/p>\n
\"The use of religious symbols and teachings in political
\nparties would certainly affect a religion's sacredness,\" PHBI
\nchairman Putu Soekreta Soeranta said at yesterday's hearing.<\/p>\n
The Buddhist Council also protested what it perceived as
\ndiscrimination against Chinese-Indonesians, who are mostly
\nBuddhist and Christian.<\/p>\n
\"What sins have they have committed to be so inhumanely
\ntreated?\" Endro S., secretary-general to the council, asked.<\/p>\n
He pointed to the fact that only one director general was in
\ncharge of Hinduism and Buddhism at the Ministry of Religious
\nAffairs as evidence that the two religions were being
\ndiscriminated against. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/religious-leaders-reject-parties-based-on-religion-1447893297",
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