Moslem leaders want MUI to side with people

Moslem leaders want MUI to side with people

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leaders are calling on the government-
sponsored Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) to be more
independent and to ward off the push and pull of politics.

While praising current chairman Hasan Basri for his finely-
tuned ability to bridge the government and the ummat (Moslem
community), several preachers agreed that MUI should side with
the people and keep a healthy distance away from the power
holders.

Interviewed separately, Hussein Umar, Ahmad Sumargono and
Abdul Rasyid Abdullah Syafii -- all leaders of organizations with
members numbering in the thousands -- agreed the council should
also be more responsive toward the Moslem community's grievances.

"The council should be something through which the ummat can
bargain with the policy makers," Hussein, who is also a member of
the council's advisory board, told The Jakarta Post.

The council, which celebrates its 20th anniversary on July 26,
should also act as the "watchdog of the people's faith",
especially in the face of the next century's problems.

Therefore, it needs to be able to ward off any parties trying
to co-opt it for the sake of their political interests, Hussein
said.

The preachers also praised Hasan Basri for his recent drive
against the rampant corruption and collusion between policy
makers and those in certain business circles.

A number of the 300 ulemas attending the ongoing fifth MUI
congress here also told the Post that they were proud of the
council's corruption-busting stance.

Hasan Basri himself, however, admitted that he made the harsh-
sounding remarks about corruption because reporters prompted him
to do so. "Some reporters wheedled and wheedled, and so that's
why I spoke about corruption and collusion," Hasan Basri said on
Friday.

The three ulemas interviewed named a number of issues on which
MUI had taken brave steps, risking the displeasure of some
parties in order to defend the interests of Moslems.

MUI has condemned and urged the abolition of the state-
sponsored lottery SDSB and refused efforts to educate people in
the use of condoms to slow the spread of venereal diseases and
AIDS.

MUI chairman Hasan Basri said the drive was tantamount to
legalizing prostitution.

"Unfortunately, it's still less than independent. Of course,
this is understandable because most of the people in it are
bureaucrats," Sumargono said cautiously. "People are still
dissatisfied."

A great number of the members of the MUI advisory board are
government officials and cabinet ministers.

The preachers acknowledged that MUI is sometimes faced with a
dilemma. While it wishes to maintain the currently favorable
relationship between the power holders and Moslems, it is trying
to avoid alienating any influential parties in society.

Sumargono pointed out that one of MUI's weaknesses is its
reluctance to handle cases which concern the polarization of
societal groups due to ethnic and religious differences.

These social issues are considered highly sensitive and are
usually known here by the acronym of SARA (ethnic groups,
religions, race and social groups).

"If the MUI ulemas are aware that they are waratsatil anbiyaa,
people who inherit the teaching of the prophets, then they know
just exactly where they stand," Hussein said.

Abdul Rasjid agrees that, under Hasan Basri's leadership, MUI
has been "quite successful".

"But I hope MUI will do more, will be more sensitive toward
the feeling of our Moslems and more actively help find solutions
to our problems."

Regarding independence, however, Abdul Rasjid believes that
MUI tends to stand more closely with the power holders than with
the people. "It's not independent enough," he admitted. (swe)