Muhammadiyah urges Megawati to fight graft
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi
The country's second largest Muslim-based organization, Muhammadiyah, urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Sunday to show her commitment to fighting against rampant corruption in the country.
Ending a four-day national meeting in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Muhammadiyah, which has some 30 million members, underlined that fighting corruption was the main goal of the reform movement
Muhammadiyah Secretary-general Haedar Nashir said the administration of Megawati, who took over the national leadership in July 2001 after the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) ousted then president Abdurrahman Wahid for incompetence, had yet to demonstrate her commitment to curbing corruption.
"Rampant corruption will continue to impoverish the country should it not be handled seriously," Haedar said, reading out a series of recommendations issued by the organization at the end of its annual meeting.
The call came as political tension continues to increase due to alleged favoritism in the purchase of Russian-made Sukhoi warplanes, allegedly involving Megawati's close family members.
Members of the House of Representatives suspected that the President's son-in-law Happy Hapsoro, the husband of her only daughter, Puan Maharani, played a role in the US$192.6 million deal for four warplanes and two Mi-35 assault helicopters.
A House working committee is set to begin a probe into the deal on Monday, with several businessmen and government officials expected to appear before legislators to shed light on the affair.
The case is the latest to tarnish Megawati's administration, which has been widely criticized for not doing enough to stamp out corruption.
Students from across the country have been holding street rallies against her administration, questioning her willingness to deal with graft.
Muhammadiyah also recommended that the government and military respect human rights in the ongoing military operation in Aceh.
"The government should not prioritize the military operation as it will only cost the lives of civilians as happened in the past," Muhammadiyah chairman Syafii Ma'arif said.
"The government should focus on the combined aspect of the operation in the province to prevent further suffering among the people," he said, referring to the humanitarian, law enforcement and local administration resuscitation operations also being mounted in Aceh.
The government launched a so-called integrated operation on May 19, which included a security drive aimed at crushing the secessionist movement in the country's westernmost province.
Concerns over rights abuses by both separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have risen following reports of mass graves in the province.
Syafii had earlier urged the government to end the war in Aceh, where GAM has been fighting for independence for the resource-rich province. Over 10,000 people, mostly innocent civilians, had been killed over the last years.
Muhammadiyah also continued refraining from throwing its weight behind any individual presidential candidate.
Muhammadiyah also refused to name Amien Rais, the current chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Syafii's predecessor as Muhammadiyah secretary-general, as the organization's presidential candidate.
Syafii said the organization would only support one presidential candidate, who would be announced later on as the election came nearer.