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