Muslim group leaves Golkar

PADANG, West Sumatra: A Muslim organization called Jamaah Syatariah, which claims to have one million members, has decided to cut its past links to the ruling Golkar Party.

The decision was announced by group leader Tuanku Mudo Ismet Ismail before a crowd of 10,000 who attended a pilgrim at the Syekh Burhanuddin Cemetery in Ulakan district in Padang Pariaman regency, 70 kilometers south of here, on Thursday.

Founded in 1970, Jamaah Syatariah, affiliated itself to Golkar in the past six elections. Its members are scattered across the island of Sumatra.

In his speech, Ismet said that from now on the organization would let all its members vote for parties that matched their own aspirations. 26)