Muslim politicians meet to counter nationalist alliance
Muslim politicians meet to counter nationalist alliance
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Senior politicians from Muslim-based parties met again here on
Monday in an apparent move to counter a coalition between the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the
Golkar Party, the two largest political parties.
The meeting, held at the Al-Azhar mosque complex in South
Jakarta, sparked fresh worries that political parties would be
polarized into nationalist and Islamic groupings ahead of the
2004 elections as occurred in 1970s.
Similar gatherings have taken place since May with senior
Muslim leaders, including People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
Speaker Amien Rais, and many others from political parties and
various Muslim organizations attending.
The recent meetings, including the latest informal gathering
on Monday, fueled speculation that Muslim leaders were trying to
establish an Islamic alliance aimed at bettering ties and
challenging the nationalist-oriented PDI Perjuangan.
At the same time, PDI Perjuangan, which President Megawati
Soekarnoputri currently leads, has apparently formed a coalition
with Golkar ahead of the MPR's Annual Session in August, which is
expected to finalize the fourth package of constitutional
amendments.
The two largest parties reportedly agreed in a backroom deal
last week that a deadlock must be avoided in the constitutional
amendment process at the Annual Session after the PDI Perjuangan
ended its resistance to a direct presidential election.
Similarly, the newly allied Muslim politicians discussed
equally contentious issues such as the direct presidential
election, the composition of the MPR, education and religious
affairs.
Monday's meeting, at least the fifth since May, was attended
by eleven Muslim politicians from the United Development Party
(PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate
Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK).
Those present included Yusuf Muhammad and Ali Masykur Musa,
both from the PKB, A.M. Luthfi of PAN who chairs the Reform
Faction in the MPR and Lukman Hakim Saifuddin from PPP. Hamdan
Zoelva of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) had promised to come but
failed to show up.
Most of the participants are members of the MPR's ad hoc
committee in charge of deliberating on the amendments of the 1945
Constitution.
The four-hour meeting, which started at 1:20 p.m., was used to
discuss Articles 29 and 31 of the Constitution which deal with
religious and education affairs.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Luthfi and Yusuf
told journalists that all the participants approved Alternative 3
in Article 31 that says the national education system should be
aimed at improving people's religious faith and devoutness and
their noble character as well as sharpening their minds.
However, the politicians were divided on two alternatives
offered in Article 29 on religion.
The PKB and Reform Faction, which consists of PK and PAN,
supported the wording that stated, "...The state shall be based
on One God with followers required to carry out religious
teachings according to their respective faiths..."
Meanwhile, the PPP and the PBB supported a provision, under
which the state is based on One God with Muslims required to
carry out their religious teachings.
However, the Muslim politicians all backed a provision also in
the Article 29 that said the state would guarantee freedom for
individuals to practice their respective religions and perform
rituals according their own faiths.