ICMI 'backs' Habibie's bid

BANDUNG (JP): The Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) concluded its congress on Sunday by urging Muslim parties to unite and establish their own faction -- and to support incumbent President B.J. Habibie's bid for another term in office.

The association, widely credited for effecting the progress of Muslims in the final decade of Soeharto's New Order regime, circumvented its stated apolitical stance by delivering its endorsement of Habibie in a "chairman's note". Acting chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro delivered the message at the end of the congress, held behind closed doors at Grand Aquilla Hotel.

Constitutional law expert Bagir Manan, who is also an ICMI member from West Java, told The Jakarta Post that the association's members believed there was no better and more acceptable presidential candidate than Habibie.

"But because ICMI is not a political party that can nominate a person, the aspirations of its members are accommodated in the chairman's note," he said.

Initiated by students in Malang, East Java, in 1990, the association's longtime chairman was B.J. Habibie. It developed rapidly by soliciting the support of Soeharto, Habibie's mentor, and many high-ranking officials. It was considered instrumental in the entry of several close Habibie associates into Soeharto's Cabinets.

The association steadfastly maintains it is apolitical, but came out in support of students last year in their campaign against Soeharto.

"It (the support for Habibie) is a form of the association's political responsibility. Any citizen can support anyone. This meeting cannot prevent the association's members from voicing their aspirations," Bagir said.

Achmad refused to confirm or deny Bagir's comments. But he rejected the suggestion that an endorsement of Habibie translated into support for the Golkar Party, which has named Habibie as its sole presidential candidate.

"There's no connection. We are supporting Habibie, not Golkar."

On the proposed establishment of a faction of Islamic parties, Bagir said it was in line with "the ethics of legislatures. Factions are, after all, groupings of parties".

Bagir said it was intended to facilitate the tasks of Islamic parties in the legislature.

"Please do not mistake it as a mobilization of forces ... it would not only fight for Muslims but the interests of the nation through the legislature. But, of course, it would be its right to fight for Muslims' interests."

Religious groups in the MPR are represented in what are known as functional groups. This year, the General Elections Commission (KPU) will approve recommended individuals from nine separate interest groups, including religious groups.

Details on the selection mechanism are still under debate.

Tension is building ahead of the presidential election, which may be postponed to December because of delays in the national tallying of poll results. Validation of the results should occur a few days after an announcement of the final national tally, tentatively scheduled for July 21.

Political analysts have described a growing polarization between supporters of the presidential candidate of the poll's front-runner, Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), and supporters of Habibie.

Underscoring the battle for the presidency is the recent controversy over Megawati's candidacy, with many Islamic groups objecting to the concept of a woman president.

Achmad said the association did not consider the gender of a presidential candidate an important precondition for the job.

He qualified the statement with an observance that candidates must have ability, and that Megawati, so far, had not revealed her qualifications for the top job.

"She should clarify her visions. She has never said anything... how can we judge her?" Achmad said.

Acting chairman of the second largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, Ahmad Syafii Ma'arif, told ICMI members on Saturday that in order to foster democracy Muslim leaders must refrain from manipulating religious symbols.

He cautioned MPR members to keep in mind that electing an incapable president would be "dangerous" for the nation.

He said MPR members should be "empowered" in order to make an independent choice. "They should no longer fear dismissal by the parties."

He also said the success of secular parties in the polls would be short-term.

Describing the victory as an "intriguing political phenomena", Syafii attributed the success of such parties to years of political suppression, which led to the "inability of people to think clearly" when casting their ballots.

He said a contributing factor was that most voters could not differentiate between "substantive and rhetoric reformist forces" amid the current political euphoria.

"This is the inevitable cost of democracy."

He said with the passing of political euphoria, people would form a "critical mass" in the next elections, and would defeat "irrational forces" that were a "historical burden".(43/anr/swe)