Syafii denies internal rifts, intervention<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): As thousands of Moslems began streaming
\ninto the spruced up town to attend Thursday's opening of the
\nMuhammadiyah congress, leading members of the organization
\nheatedly denied reports of internal rifts and outside
\nintervention in the organization's affairs.<\/p>\n
Vice Chairman Syafii Maarif attempted on Saturday to convince
\nreporters that there had not been any bickering among aspiring
\nchairmen of the organization. \"There are no polarized groups
\nwithin Muhammadiyah... We'll decide who's going to be the next
\nchairman by consensus or by taking a vote if necessary,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Informed sources, however, told The Jakarta Post that there
\nhad been rising tension between at least two hopefuls: incumbent
\nAmien Rais and former vice chairman Lukman Harun.<\/p>\n
Supporters of each camp have been observed campaigning for
\ntheir candidates or against the other parties, either by
\napproaching reporters covering the event or through other
\nparticipants.<\/p>\n
For instance, an association of the offspring of former
\nMuhammadiyah chairmen, led by Fauzi, son of the late charismatic
\nleader, A.R. Fachruddin, has been campaigning for weeks to \"save\"
\nthe organization from politicking aspirants.<\/p>\n
They have pursued a campaign against \"anyone who aspires to
\nbecome chairman.\" This stance, according to Fauzi, is in line
\nwith the teachings of Prophet Muhammad that \"we should not elect
\nsomeone who asks for a position\".<\/p>\n
Given the respected place that Fauzi and his friends occupy in
\nthe organization, there is a possibility that the congress will
\nturn away from Amien and Lukman and, instead, elect an unlikely
\nfigure, such as senior leader Prodjokusumo.<\/p>\n
Meeting<\/p>\n
In the 83 years history of Muhammadiyah, there have been two
\noccasions on which the electoral board has appointed figures not
\nchosen by the congress.<\/p>\n
A source close to Amien confirmed the tension but told the
\nPost that he and Lukman had held a private meeting on Saturday,
\nfacilitated by the Aceh branch of the organization, and
\n\"reconciled\" themselves with one another.<\/p>\n
So far, only two names have been circulating widely as likely
\nto be chosen as the chairman of a 13-strong executive board:
\nAmien and Lukman.<\/p>\n
Following the meeting with Amien, however, Lukman told
\nreporters that he would not be able to compete with Amien, an
\nintellectual and leading member at the powerful Indonesian
\nAssociation of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI).<\/p>\n
Amien declined to comment about the reported tension between
\nhimself and the camp of Lukman. He only expressed his wish that
\nthe congress, to be opened by President Soeharto, would proceed
\nsmoothly.<\/p>\n
He did concede, however, that the preliminary two-day meeting
\nof the group's law-making body, which started yesterday and is
\nexpected to short-list the number of candidates from 96 to 39,
\nmight face some obstacles.<\/p>\n
\"The most likely obstacle is if leading figures of
\nMuhammadiyah fail to restrain themselves and bring up unnecessary
\nmaterial, such as this discussion about polarized camps,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The observation of the Post, however, revealed that tension
\nstill existed and was apparent in the comments made by some of
\nthe candidates. Lukman, for instance, harshly criticized
\npolitical observer Afan Gaffar, who is also present at the arena
\nand has recently stated he favored the incumbent, as a mouthpiece
\nof Amien.<\/p>\n
Another rumor circulating among participants is that the Aceh
\nprovincial administration as well as the ruling Golkar group
\nintend to steer the congress in a particular direction.<\/p>\n
The leaders, however, defended their independence, despite the
\nfact that they have received large donations from the government
\nand individual officials.<\/p>\n
Donations<\/p>\n
President Soeharto donated Rp 500 million, according to
\nchairman of organizing committee Sutrisno Muchdam, while the Aceh
\nadministration provided Rp 600 million.<\/p>\n
There was also some Rp 120 million from a number of local
\nregents and mayors, Rp 100 million from the Indonesian Chamber of
\nCommerce, and an undisclosed amount from individual officials,
\nincluding cabinet ministers. The congress is being held at a cost
\nof over Rp 2.6 billion (approximately US$ 1.2 million).<\/p>\n
The donations that it has received don't necessarily mean
\nthat Muhammadiyah has to sacrifice its independence, the leaders
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Don't worry about our independence...we won't be dragged into
\nany political organization,\" Vice Chairman Rusjdi Hamka said.<\/p>\n
Rusjdi himself is a leading member of the United Development
\nParty, while Din Syamsuddin, another hopeful for the
\nchairmanship, is a vice chairman at the executive board of the
\nruling Golkar. The local organizer, Teuku Djohan, is chairman of
\nthe Golkar branch, chairman at the provincial legislative
\ncouncil, as well as former vice governor.<\/p>\n
Afan Gaffar told the Post that independence was not one of
\nMuhammadiyah's forte. The organization, whose members are mostly
\ncivil servants, \"is very accommodative\" of the government, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Therefore, \"there's no need for the government to interfere\"
\nin Muhammadiyah internal affairs, he said. (swe\/Wisnu Pramudya)<\/p>",
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