Muhammadiyah no longer seen as reformist movement

By Santi WE Soekanto and Wisnu Pramudya

BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Observers and leading members say that Muhammadiyah, with its 28 million members, has become sluggish and no longer deserves to be called "Indonesia's reformist Moslem movement".

Prominent political scientists Deliar Noer and Syamsuddin Haris; sociologist Mochtar Naim; ulema Ali Yafie from Nahdlatul Ulama; and several Muhammadiyah leaders acknowledged that the many features of progressiveness, that the organization used to posses, are no longer existent.

The organization, established 83 years ago as a drive to purify the practice of Islam and bring reforms to a society oppressed by colonialism, has become "backward" and can no longer keep up with the rapid changes in society, they concluded.

Mochtar, a former staff lecturer at the Andalas University in Padang, said the label reformist itself has been puzzling people because, for almost the last five decades, Muhammadiyah has not come up with any fresh ideas to address social issues.

"There's no reform, no signs of independence, not even in the field of education," he said of the organization, which has established 13,200 schools and universities. "All that it has been doing is copying government policies in education instead of establishing specific approaches or curricula."

"Probably, Muhammadiyah's strength lies in the fact that it's a good follower instead," Mochtar said. "While to be a reformist movement, you'd have to be brave enough to go it alone, to go against the current."

Deliar was pessimistic over Muhammadiyah's ability to regain its old position as the reforming drive of society. "The conditions are very different now," he said. "In the past, Indonesian Moslems were backward. Now, they are progressing rapidly, and Muhammadiyah should be able to progress even faster."

As an example, he cited the organization's ambitious drive to give Islamic nuance to science, which has failed miserably because its activists no longer possess the will to strive, to reach the goal by translating ideas into actions.

"During Dutch colonialism, Muhammadiyah didn't care if it had to go against the administration's policies in regards to education," he said. "Now, Muhammadiyah schools are competing to catch up with state schools and submit themselves to various restrictions imposed by the government."

"Muhammadiyah needs breakthroughs, which are unrestricted by government policies, if it really wants to color its educational institutions with Islam," Deliar said.

Ali Yafie agreed that there has been a "perceived stagnation" in Muhammadiyah. "I think those who are involved in the organization feel it, and I am sure they would want to retain the image of reformist", he told The Jakarta Post.

Members Fauzi A.R. and Rusjdi Hamka expressed concern that, with its current development, Muhammadiyah would be able to retain its position as an institution of dakwah (religious propagation).

"People, especially in urban areas, change faster than we can realize," Rusjdi said. "We have to admit that our religious propagation movement has not been able to catch up with this change. Now we see a great number of people experiencing spiritual hunger and we can't keep up with them."

Fauzi said the organization has to "return to its initial function as a moral force of society". Logically, he said, it follows that Muhammadiyah should not "neglect the elements of ulemas as the core of the organization".

"The next leaders should establish religious education as their focus of attention," Fauzi said, a medical doctor and son of the late A.R. Fachruddin, the charismatic Muhammadiyah leader for 22 years.

Deliar and Syamsuddin agreed that one of the first things that Muhammadiyah has to strive for, in order to justify its reformist label, is to be independent and break away from political entanglement.

"Muhammadiyah should return to raison d'etre, which is the organization of education and religious movement," he said. "It should sharpen its focus of attention, because its masses have now become more critical and prefer to be more independent from the power center."

"The organization should improve coordination and consolidate itself," Deliar said, pointing out that these campaigns should no longer rely on merely emotional bonds among members. Instead, "the approach should be more rational in nature," he said.

Syamsuddin paid special attention toward the question of Muhammadiyah's political entanglement, especially with the ruling political grouping Golkar.

The fact that Golkar wants to swallow up every organization or force in society is normal, he said. In relation to the 1997 general elections, it stands to reason that Golkar wishes to "co- opt anyone", he stated.

Muhammadiyah, he believes, presents an appealing potential power base for Golkar, which is, at the moment, reportedly, experiencing strains in its relations with the Armed Forces.