Hamzah insists on Jakarta Chapter
JAKARTA (JP): United Development Party (PPP) Chairman Hamzah Haz insisted on Saturday that the inclusion of the Jakarta Chapter in Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution would not mean that the full implementation of Islamic law for Muslims would threaten other religions in the country.
Speaking at the opening of the party's branch meeting in Jombang, East Java, Hamzah, who is also the Vice President, contended that the inclusion of the Jakarta Chapter would not automatically turn Indonesia into a Muslim country.
"PPP does not have the intention to establish an Islamic country. We merely suggest the inclusion of the Jakarta Chapter in Article 29 on religion of the 1945 Constitution," Hamzah said in his speech in front of party supporters.
He said there was no need to discuss the issue at length because the observance of Syariah law was up to Muslims themselves.
The Jakarta Chapter, the basis for the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, was hotly debated about 56 years ago, shortly after Indonesia achieved independence.
Controversies emerged over the wording, "obliging its followers to exercise Islamic laws." People feared that it would spawn narrow-minded religious fanaticism.
The phrase was later dropped from the Constitution.
PPP Secretary General Ali Marwan Hanan said on Saturday that the party would not try to change the Preamble of the Constitution as it only suggested the inclusion of Article 29.
Hamzah's remarks to promote the Jakarta Chapter apparently constitutes the first sign of dissension with President Megawati Soekarnoputri, whose Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) clearly rejects any amendment to Article 29.
The largest Muslim organization in the country, Nadhatul Ulama (NU), rejected the suggested inclusion of the Jakarta Chapter in the Constitution, saying that it would only disturb the country's multi-religious life.
"NU will stick to our stance to reject the suggestion because it is not fair for other religions if one of them has special treatment in the Constitution," NU Secretary General Masduki Baidlowi told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
"For NU this is an insignificant debate because currently we need to focus on economic recovery and not the Jakarta Chapter," he remarked.
He underlined that Muslims can implement the Islamic law in private and it is important now to fight for a universal value of humanity in real life instead of inserting some teachings in the national regulation.
"I consider this as an effort to create dissension between Hamzah and President Megawati, whose stance as a real nationalist is clear. We have to be very careful with this," Masduki warned.
Earlier, the chairman of the second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, Syafii Ma'arif, also rejected the suggestion, arguing that it would only provoke religious disharmony.
Hamzah was on a one-day trip to Jombang for the party's meeting. He also visited the graveyard of Islamic teacher Wahab Hasbullah and held talks with students of Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School.
Meanwhile, some leaders of Islamic boarding schools in East Java reportedly rejected Hamzah's visit, even though it was aimed at reconciliation among Muslim-based parties that split during the ousting of then president Abdurrahman Wahid last July.
Antara reported that several ulemas preferred to attend the opening of a national painting exhibition, which was opened by NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi, in Malang.
Dozens of students of Darul Ulum University in Jombang also protested Hamzah when he delivered a speech at Merdeka Sports Hall, which is located on their campus. A student was injured in a clash with security officers. (dja/hhr)