Islamic organizations support MUI call

JAKARTA (JP): Several Islamic organizations have welcomed the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) call for Muslims to choose parties that fight for their interests, but one prominent Muslim politician said the call was as pointless as "lighting a lamp in broad daylight".

The Indonesian Mosque Youth Activists (BKPRMI), the Communication Forum of Muslim Women's Organizations (BMOIWI) and the Khadijah Muslimah Movement issued on Thursday a joint statement calling on Muslims to vote for parties which fielded Muslim legislative candidates who are trustworthy, democratic and committed to the cause of human rights.

"Vote for parties with strong and clear commitments to fight for the interests of the ummah without sacrificing the interests of the other elements of the nation," their statement said.

K.H. Miftah Farid, an ulema in the West Java capital of Bandung, said the council's call was actually a form of political education. "The public should be reminded that they do not only punch the logo of a party, but support its legislators. The public need to really know the people that they choose."

Yusril Ihza Mahendra, chairman of the Islamic Crescent Star Party (PBB), said he did not believe his party would benefit from the call. "The council only did something that it should usually do, as it serves as the vanguard of the morality of Muslims," he said in Bandung.

"Now, if the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) exhorts Christians to vote for Islamic parties, then my party would benefit," Yusril joked.

Yusril said he did not believe Muslims would automatically be influenced to choose Islamic parties, given there were at least 12 such parties in the list of 48 poll contestants. The same situation applies to nationalist parties, he said. "Look at how many parties use the bull's head as their logo," he said.

However, Yusril said MUI was merely doing its job. "But, it would be up to the people (to vote or not to vote for Islamic parties)," he said. "The council's (call) was (as pointless) as lighting a lamp in broad daylight."

In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, the local chapter of MUI and offices of other Islamic organizations issued a statement protesting against PDI Perjuangan, whose activists tore a banner inscribed with a hadith (saying of Prophet Muhammad) on Tuesday, saying the act reflected intolerance of differences.

The banner was put up by Muslim students, who were questioning female leadership. The MUI chapter leader, Sanusi Baco, said the next president should be good, intelligent, Muslim and male. (30/43/swe)