Appeal to MUI
Appeal to MUI
From Warta Kota
As a citizen, though not a member of any sociopolitical
organization, I feel obliged to make a proposal and appeal to
religious leaders, especially those of the central and regional
boards of Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).
In my view, MUI is not a political party nor a mass
organization, which only pursue group interests. In the reform
period of the national unity Cabinet under Abdurrahman Wahid and
Megawati Soekarnoputri and now under the new President resulting
from the 2001 Special Session of the People's consultative
Assembly (MPR), we have seen the outcome of the Habibie
government's performance, i.e. the loss of East Timor as the 27th
province from the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.
When Abdurrahman was president, several regions remained
turbulent, some even striving to secede. In different cities,
particularly Jakarta, demonstrations and street fights became
commonplace. Prices of daily necessities went beyond control and
the public, notably poor families of the handicapped, were
rendered helpless.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives/Assembly, 20 times as
big as the Cabinet in membership, took no heed of the people's
suffering. In fact, their salaries as well as expense funding
come from public funds.
As those in the House/Assembly so far haven't had enough time
to consider the worsening living conditions of the population,
including disabled people, the MUI should intervene through a
ruling or appeal. By the motivating force of this ruling, various
issues that may lead to the disintegration of the nation and
state will hopefully be solved.
A ruling by ulemas or instructions by religious figures to the
House/Assembly members are likely to be heard and accepted. For
instance, the MUI ruling during the 1999 election was apparently
very effective and observed by all contestants. With such an
ruling or appeal today, let's hope the House/Assembly members
will be prepared to care about the hardships suffered by the
common people.
SYAMSIL
Bogor, West Java