ICMI offers itself as 'glue' to Islamic parties

ICMI offers itself as 'glue' to Islamic parties

JAKARTA (JP): The influential Association of Indonesian Muslim
Intellectuals (ICMI) campaigned Sunday for the unity of Muslim
political parties, offering itself as the "glue" to bring them
all together.

ICMI executives said here that a "caucus" of Islamic parties
was a "very urgent" need in order to promote Muslim brotherhood
and to prepare for a new government after the elections.

Without referring to President B.J. Habibie, its former
chairman, ICMI's statement said: "... there is a need (for
leaders of the Islamic political parties) to look for and
determine a figure who is the most plausible national leader."

But ICMI acting chairman Achmad Tirtosudiro added the
organization would be ready to lend support to "whoever becomes
the president" after a free and fair general election.

He said the organization had started lobbying key figures of
the concerned parties.

Out of 48 political parties ready to vie for seats in the
House of Representatives and regional legislatures in the June
polls, there are at least 10 parties which are Islamic-orientated
by party name and five others citing Islam as their only
principle in their party statutes.

Observers say that two other major parties, the National
Awakening Party (PKB) under renowned figure Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid and the National Mandate Party (PAN) under leading reform
figure Amien Rais symbolize the country's Muslim mainstream
groups.

The two latter parties have nominated their leading figures as
president. Another strong poll contender claiming to enjoy wide
Muslim support, the Crescent Star Party (PBB), has nominated its
chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra as its candidate.

In the statement summarizing results of the organization's
three-day national coordination meeting here ICMI said: "Among
those Islamic-orientated parties, ICMI positions itself as a glue
which keeps the same distance from each (parties)" and was ready
to work with them.

Set up in 1990, ICMI, which comprises intellectuals and
leading politicians and officials, also said Indonesia needs
development orientated to Islam.

Pancasila

"Efforts to develop a society based on Pancasila (state
ideology) through partial and sectoral means, especially
materialism and individualism, have failed -- mainly from the
aspect of justice."

Islam-oriented development among other things would lead to
"low consumption rates, high savings, intensive resources
management and a just, honest and efficient social-economic
process."

ICMI also declared it supported the government's move to
normalize the riot-torn Ambon city while calling for the
government to be transparent in announcing fatalities in the
communal conflict, which some believed be far above the official
figures of 182 deaths.

ICMI urged East Timorese to be "realistic" in making their
decision over Indonesia's alternatives for a settlement over the
troubled territory.

It also urged the government to bring about a more balanced
state budget in Irian Jaya and West Kalimantan. (aan)