Islamic organizations support MUI call

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)