New Moslem magazine to start next week

New Moslem magazine to start next week

JAKARTA (JP): A new current affairs magazine with an
impressive line up of top notch Moslem intellectuals is set to
hit the streets next week.

What's more, Ummat (Community), as the new magazine which will
be published every two weeks is called, will not represent a
particular Moslem organization in Indonesia, but will try to be
more all encompassing.

The line up of the editorial board, as well as its columnists,
attest to this pledge as they include figures associated with
Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama and the Association of Indonesian
Islamic.

"We pledge to include all aspirations of Moslems, not just a
certain sect," General Manager Abdillah Toha said yesterday.

The need of a new Moslem-oriented media is urgent in an era
when many Moslems, and non-Moslems, are seriously studying the
religion, he said.

"It is ironic that, in the midst of such a lively atmosphere
of people seriously studying and practicing Islam, there is a
great lack of media which represent the aspirations of an
increasingly critical umat (community)," Toha said.

The deputy chief editor, M. Syafi'i Anwar, a former editor of
the Panjimas Moslem news magazine, said the founders were
convinced that Moslems now thirst for a more "inclusive" media.

"Our market survey, completed last year, also confirmed this,"
said Anwar.

Editors also pointed out a Moslem perspective is still in
need, given more influence of the western press in the general
media.

The launching of the magazine, which will sell at Rp 4,700
(US$2.09) per copy, starting June 24, introduced a trial issue
with a red and white cover, with newsprint and a few colored
pages.

Special columns include coverage of the "Moslem World" and
readers' letters to legislators.

Toha said the editors do not represent their organizations.

They include Amien Rais (Muhammadiyah chairman), Mustofa Bisri
(Nahdhatul Ulama) and researcher M. Dawam Rahardjo (ICMI).

Muhammadiyah is considered to represent a more "modernist"
stance of Islam, compared to Nahdhatul Ulama, which is regarded
as "traditionalist".

Toha said the magazine has no organizational links with the
Republika daily newspaper, although a number of its personnel are
also on the editorial board, such as Republika general manager
and chief editor, Parni Hadi, and columnist M. Quraish Syihab.

Ummat is published by PT Mahkota Mediatara Utama, owned by
another private company, PT Jarindo Perdana.

With an initial investment of Rp 2 billion, it aims to sell
40,000 copies per issue.

Ummat editors say they target middle income readers.

Noted poet Taufiq Ismail, who is also one of the editors, said
he was interested to join as he believed in the magazine's aim to
picture an "optimistic" face of Islam.

Toha said that Ummat wants to shift the image of continuous
conflicts and suffering in Moslem communities, with a more upbeat
and peaceful picture of Islam.

However, the chief editor of Ummat, Mustoffa Kamil Ridwan,
admitted that from his experience as editor at Republika it is
difficult to maintain a non-sectarian image. (anr)