Muhammadiyah readopts Islam as key principle

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)