ICMI chairman rejects 'Islamization' charges

ICMI chairman rejects 'Islamization' charges

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
Intellectuals (ICMI) B.J. Habibie has denied allegations that
government and military institutions are being Islamicized.

"The allegation is not true," Habibie told ICMI members after
installing the new executive board for ICMI's Jakarta chapter on
Saturday.

Habibie, who is also minister of research and technology, said
the fact that many devout Moslems hold senior positions in the
bureaucracy and military does not reflect Islamization.

It shows that Moslems in the world's fourth most populous
country have made a lot of progress over the past years, he said.

Moslems account for 88 percent of Indonesia's 195 million
population, according to official figures.

Founded in 1990 with President Soeharto's support, ICMI has
been controversial from the beginning. Its officials say that it
is positioned to help Moslems improve their social and economic
status.

Critics, including some Moslem scholars, say that ICMI's
officials exploit the organization to achieve their political
goals.

In its latest congress last year, numerous top government
officials, in their personal capacity, were on the list for its
leadership board.

President Soeharto was named chairman of its board of patrons,
the same position he holds in the ruling Golkar group. Vice
President Try Sutrisno and two senior cabinet ministers are among
the board's 10 members.

Eight of 13 ICMI advisory board members are cabinet ministers.
They are Abdul Latief, the minister of manpower; Ali Alatas,
minister of foreign affairs; Subyakto Tjakrawerdaya, minister of
cooperatives; Akbar Tanjung, minister of public housing; Tungky
Aribowo, Minister of trade and industry; Ginandjar Kartasasmita,
minister of national development planning; Harmoko, minister of
information and Haryono Suyono, minister of population.

ICMI currently has 36 chapters with more than 450 branches,
including eight abroad.

Habibie said that the presence of devout Moslems in the
government is only natural because of the large proportion of
Moslems in the population.

"Don't be surprised. Even if only 10 percent of outstanding
Moslems are there, the number is still big," he added.

According to Habibie, more and more officials are
demonstrating their devotion to both the state and religion,
which did not happen in the Dutch colonial era.

In addition, he said, devout Moslems are no longer suspected
of sympathizing with the cause to turn Indonesia into an Islamic
state. (01)