Hasan Basri favored to stay at top of MUI

JAKARTA (JP): Sideline talks at the ongoing congress of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) indicated that incumbent chairman Hasan Basri is still the most favored figure to sit at the helm of the 20-year-old council.

Out of roughly 300 participants, several told The Jakarta Post yesterday that Hasan Basri, who took over the council's chairmanship in 1985 when E.Z. Mutaqqien died, has been quite successful in leading the non-government body and in bridging the gap between the administration and the Moslem community.

"Hasan Basri is likely to be re-elected," one ulema said. "The government still likes him too."

Another name circulating widely is current vice chairman Ali Yafie, an unassuming Moslem scholar who obtained the sympathy of many Moslems when he took a tough stance against the state- sponsored lottery SDSB in late 1991.

Ali, once vice chairman of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) moslem organization, resigned from NU when he found out that several leading NU members had received donations from the foundation that managed SDSB.

The government decided to abolish the lottery in 1993, following massive street protests from various groups, including students and ulemas.

Opening

The fifth MUI congress, opened by President Soeharto on Friday, proceeded in a laid-back style. The participating ulemas spent their weekend at Hotel Indonesia listening to speeches given by officials, including Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher, State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas. Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad also addressed the gathering.

The ulemas also heard from Ponco Sutowo, a business tycoon who's also an organizer for the upcoming second Istiqlal Festival, a month-long international gala to exhibit the wealth of Islamic culture.

Habibie, in his capacities both as minister and chairman of the powerful Indonesian Association of Moslem Intellectuals, reminded the ulemas yesterday of the need to turn Islamic schools into centers for science and technological advancement.

The drive to turn the seemingly traditional pesantren (Moslem boarding schools) into educational institutions which focus on science and technology, however, will need time and perseverance, he said.

"This is where ulemas can play their roles," he reminded the ulemas.

Commander of the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung and Minister of Information Harmoko are scheduled to address the congress today.

Apart from the speeches, the congress also held forums to hear reports from MUI's branches in the 27 provinces of Indonesia. The participants are scheduled to establish an electoral committee today.

The committee is expected to name the members of the new MUI leadership for the 1995-2000 period and officially swear them in later on in the evening. The congress will be closed by Vice President Try Sutrisno tomorrow.

Regarding the chairman elections, Religious Affairs Minister Tarmizi said MUI already has an established, superior mechanism.

"MUI has a good tradition, in which those who don't want to be elected chairmen are chosen," Tarmizi said.

"Until now, nobody came to me (and asked for position)," he said.

As is customary, the minister of religious affairs will chair the seven-person electoral board.

Tarmizi said, however, that prospective candidates for the chairmanship of a religious council should possess the features of an ulema.

"The characters of an ulema are really important," he said. "This is not a (political) party or a social organization like NU or Muhammadiyah which have a great many members."

By the end of the congress, the ulemas are expected to issue a number of fatwa (religious edicts) as well as recommendations on, among other things, the tendency of some government officials to violate their oath of office.

A source at the congress told the Post that the council will likely ask Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila, an Islamic charity foundation chaired by President Soeharto, to fund its campaign "to remind government officials to be loyal to their oaths". (swe)