Muhammadiyah readopts Islam as key principle

JAKARTA (JP): The country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, wrapped up its congress on Tuesday with a decision to restore Islam as its basic principle, replacing state ideology Pancasila.

Marked by fierce debates, the plenary session agreed on a compromise to adopt Islam as the organization's new statute. There had been demands to mention Islam as Muhammadiyah's basic principle in a separate article.

The congress' Commission C for changes in basic regulations voted on Monday against the formal incorporation of Islam into the organization's statute.

But several representatives from provincial chapters, including Aceh, Jambi and East Kalimantan, reiterated their demand on Tuesday that Islam be reinstated.

"We are afraid to return to Aceh if the Islamic principle is scrapped," Aceh's representative, Ahmad Sudja, told the plenary session.

The session was suspended for almost half an hour before reaching the compromise.

Muhammadiyah's former secretary, Ahmad Watik Pratiknya, praised the decision as a compliment to provincial chapters, especially Aceh. But social expert Mohamad Sobary said he was afraid the move would restrict Muhammadiyah's relations with other parts of the nation.

"Muhammadiyah people have returned to their own environment," Sobary, who is also chief of the Antara news agency, told reporters after the session.

However, he hoped the reelection of Syafi'i Ma'arif, who is considered a pluralist, as Muhammadiyah's chairman, would broaden the relationship of Muhammadiyah with all components of the nation.

Syafi'i earlier suggested that Islam should not be officially mentioned in the basic regulation since Muhammadiyah was already known as Islamic organization.

"Without mentioning Islam as the basic principle, we would not be confused by political changes in the country," he said.

He claimed that Muhammadiyah, since it was founded by noted preacher Ahmad Dahlan in Yogyakarta in 1912, never used Islam as its foundation.

The organization started to use Islam as its basic principle in 1959 and dropped it in 1985 when the repressive regime under former president Soeharto obliged all mass organizations to acknowledge Pancasila as the solitary founding statute.

Meanwhile, the 13 members of the board of selectors unanimously chose on Tuesday Syafi'i as Muhammadiyah chairman, replacing Amien Rais.

Apart from Syafi'i, the board members also include former deputy secretary-general of the Golkar Party Din Syamsuddin, former minister of religious affairs Malik Fadjar, current Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin and constitutional law professor Ismail Sunny.

Syafi'i, a native of Sumpukudus village in West Sumatra, is a postgraduate of Islamic studies at Chicago University.

In his speech, Syafi'i pledged to enhance Muhammadiyah's role amid the increasing political climate.

"Muhammadiyah will try to mediate with and lobby all the political elite, in political parties and the government, in an effort to reduce political crises," Syafi'i said.

He said Muhammadiyah would lead the nation in upholding civilized attitudes, especially by giving "sweet criticism".

In its recommendation, Muhammadiyah called on the government to focus and decide upon agendas and priorities which could bring welfare and security to the nation.

The congress also recommended on Tuesday that the government, the House of Representatives and all political parties uphold political ethics and morals, and reduce "political acrobatics" which tend to cause confusion and disturbance. The congress' recommendations were read by Muhammadiyah executive Muchlas Abror.

Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri declared the four-day congress closed later in the day in a ceremony also attended by People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.

Megawati was seated between Syafi'i and Amien during the ceremony.

The congress participants applauded her when she asked Muhammadiyah supporters to acknowledge her as a daughter of the organization's former cadre.

Megawati's father, the country's founding president Sukarno, was known as a teacher at a Muhammadiyah school in his youth. (jun)