Ali Yafie installed to head MUI

JAKARTA (JP): Senior scholar Ali Yafie was installed by Minister of Religious Affairs A. Malik Fadjar on Thursday as the chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), replacing Hasan Basri who died last November.

According to deputy chairman Amidhan, Ali's tenure will last until the council's congress in July 2000, Antara said.

"After Kiai Hasan Basri died, the executive board agreed to appoint Kiai Ali Yafie acting chairman," Amidhan said after a closed council meeting. His colleague, Ismail Hasan, said the move was in line with the council's wishes.

The meeting at Hotel Indonesia also effected the installation of the National Sharia Council, which will deal with economic issues in accordance with Islamic law.

The Muslim clerics are scheduled to meet on Friday with President B.J. Habibie and Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto.

The government established the council in 1975. Under its first chairman Haji Malik Abdul Karim Amarullah, a prominent Muslim scholar who was more popularly known as Buya (Father) Hamka, the council became influential in the campaign to bridge the gap between Muslims and the New Order regime under Soeharto.

In a related development, Kompas daily presented to Ali Yafie on Thursday Rp 583 million, part of the Rp 1.28 billion in humanitarian funds it raised in cooperation with the council.

The daily's general manager, Jakob Oetama, made the presentation to Ali at a separate occasion. The money was raised from August to December last year. (swe)