Muhammadiyah seeks to create movement to enlighten all

Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, will hold its 45th congress in the East Java town of Malang from July 3 to July 8. Its outgoing chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif talked to The Jakarta Post's Sri Wahyuni about the congress and its related issues. The following is an excerpt from the interview.

Question: What is the main agenda of the congress this year?

Answer: We have Jelang Satu Abad Muhammadiyah, Tajdid Gerakan untuk Pencerahan Peradaban (Nearing one Century Muhammadiyah, a Movement to Enlighten Culture) as the central theme of this quinquennial obligation of the organization. We've taken that theme because of our deep concern of the present condition of the nation in particular, and that of Muslim community in general, which in our view is in need of enlightenment. Since we have been unable to find the right solutions to our problems at present, may have something to do with our minds and souls not yet being enlightened.

What specific agenda will you have on the anticorruption movement?

It will be more of a moral movement. Yet, at least, through this movement we can inject more boldness and courage into government officials in charge of handling corruption cases. We have witnessed so far that what the NU (Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's largest Muslim organization) and Muhammadiyah have done regarding corruption, has been echoed in some ways.

Are there any concrete steps regarding the issue?

Muhammadiyah is preparing a theological explanation on corruption. We will also form posko (coordinating posts) up to the regental and municipal levels to more intensively monitor governance in local administrations. Once we find indications of corruption the posts will report it to the government apparatus in charge of the case. Yes, it will act like a corruption monitor.

Muhammadiyah has been criticized for being used by politicians as a political machine. Is there any item on the agenda regarding this issue?

The congress will just reaffirm the results of the 1971 congress in Makassar, which stipulate that Muhammadiyah keeps the same distance to all political groupings. Yes, we were once out of line and Muhammadiyah became a political machine.

Are you referring to Muhammadiyah's official support for Amien Rais during the last presidential election?

That's right. But, I do hope it will only happen once, unless there is a situation that forces us to do otherwise. Besides, what happened then had also been the decision of the central executive board as well as the provincial ones.

In the future, we have to be strict in our attitude so that we will not be easily carried away by the temptation of practical politics. The present political situation is not ideal. Once trapped, it will lose its dignity. Muhammadiyah, in this case, has to be able to maintain itself as a moral movement. It has to give emphasis on the importance of being independent, while actively providing the nation with a moral reference.

Muhammadiyah has also been criticized for its failure in producing young Muslim intellectuals and thinkers. How do you intend to deal with that?

I don't think it is true. If you may notice, there are young Muhammadiyah activists, who often write columns in newspapers including Kompas and The Jakarta Post. We even have a youth wing, namely JIMM (the Network of Young Muhammadiyah's Intellectuals), which Muhammadiyah's conservative members see as having gone too far in their thinking about Islam and consider it the same as JIL (Liberal Islam Network).

Still, they are given room to develop. I prefer to invite them to sit and talk about disputed problems. We have the Koran as a reference. From there we can, for example, test whether their thought has deviated from the spirit of Islam. Communication between members of Muhammadiyah indeed needs to be intensified.

Organizationally, how is the grooming of young leaders conducted within Muhammadiyah?

Muhammadiyah has a human resources development section and a leader-development department. Yet, the grooming of these young leaders is also done through other departments in the organization. However, as I see it, we need to look for more effective ways of recruiting members. There has been a phenomenon of people considering Muhammadiyah as too narrow so they just leave.

We have to prevent this from happening. That's why revolutionary thoughts must also be given room to develop within the organization. If they have gone too far we will only invite them to talk, not give them punishment.

Is it this phenomenon that has hampered Muhammadiyah's ability to attract young potential leaders?

It could be. Muhammadiyah is probably less attentive to its own up and coming members. It is too busy taking care of its hospitals, schools, orphanages and other social services. In Javanese we call it kabotan sungu (having overly heavy horns), so it has no time to nurture its younger members. In some places, Muhammadiyah's mosques are even taken over by others. Many of its branches are also inactive.

Does it mean that there has indeed something wrong with the nurturing of members in Muhammadiyah?

It requires a reevaluation by competent experts. What I see as lacking in Muhammadiyah's potential leaders is vast insights and networks. Most of us are too busy with our own internal community. I admit there are indeed just a few Muhammadiyah members who can form an inter-religious network like that.

What criteria do you think a top leader of Muhammadiyah should have for the present situation?

He/she has to be uncontaminated by practical politics and clearly understand the details of the map of the social community. A Muhammadiyah leader, therefore, has to make good relationships with everyone, even atheists.

Muhammadiyah members lack this kind of effort to form good national brotherhood, or whatever the name of that is, with others. If Muhammadiyah wants to become the moral compass for the nation, it has to cultivate good relationships with others. It has to protect anyone from any group as long as he/she obeys the laws and Constitution.