Muhammadiyah endorsement of Amien Rais regretted

Muhammadiyah endorsement of Amien Rais regretted

Kurniawan Hari and A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Criticism greeted the official support from the country's second
largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah for Amien Rais'
presidential bid on Wednesday, with a political observer
expressing fear that the move would jeopardize the moderate
orientation of the organization.

Muhammadiyah deputy secretary Hajriyanto Y. Thohari said the
decision to explicitly back Amien, the chairman of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), would discourage democracy which was still
in its early stages in the country.

"The decision is disturbing because Muhammadiyah members could
be mobilized to vote based on sectarian reasons. It is
undemocratic," Hajriyanto, who is also a House of Representatives
legislator from Golkar Party told The Jakarta Post.

He said Muhammadiyah should have only provided criteria,
instead of pointing to a figure. He added Amien would still
receive support from Muhammadiyah members, but in a more
appropriate manner, even if the organization only spelled out
criteria.

Apart from criticizing the process, Hajriyanto said the
maneuver of the Muhammadiyah was premature because the result of
the general elections was not known yet.

He also chided Muhammadiyah for being partisan by naming Amien
as the organization's preference for president.

"There should be an assessment whether Muhammadiyah's
involvement in politics would benefit the organization's main
goal of preaching," he said.

Muhammadiyah Chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif said on Wednesday
his organization supported Amien as the organization believed
that he had a clear commitment to reform.

"While the commitment of other political leaders is not that
clear, Amien has clearly demonstrated his commitment to reform,"
Syafii said.

Syafii added that Amien deserved support in exchange for his
dedication to Muhammadiyah, which he chaired before turning to
politics in 1998.

Separately, political expert from Airlangga University Daniel
Sparringa shared the view that Muhammadiyah's backing of Amien's
presidential bid would adversely affect the image of the
organization, which has long been known for its neutrality.

"It's a surprise. Muhammadiyah will pay dearly for being
partial," Daniel told the Post.

But unlike Hajriyanto, Daniel said the move would not promote
sectarian politics as Muhammadiyah had long been recognized as a
moderate organization that did not fight for sharia.

However, Daniel predicted the approval would not significantly
increase votes for PAN or Amien since Muhammadiyah members were
more rational and rarely devoted themselves to certain figures,
but instead for the organization's values.

"Muhammadiyah is different from NU, whose followers will obey
whatever their clerics propose," he said, referring to Nahdlatul
Ulama, the country's largest Muslim organization.

NU has also urged its followers to vote for the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and choose the party's presidential
candidate Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid. PKB was founded by NU
leaders in 1998.

Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah member and political expert Bachtiar
Effendy defended the organization's move, saying it was not done
in blind support for Amien but in recognition of his values and
programs.

"Muhammadiyah members will choose Amien as his values and
programs are considered the best," Bachtiar, who is also a
political lecturer at Syarief Hidayatullah State Islamic
University, told the Post.

However he suggested that Amien seek support from other
societal groups, including minority groups, since support from
Muhammadiyah alone would be insufficient to catapult him to the
presidency.