No possible revival of new Masyumi: Anwar

No possible revival of new Masyumi: Anwar

JAKARTA (JP): Anwar Harjono, former leader of the now-defunct
Moslem political party Masyumi, has ruled out the possibility of
reviving the organization for fear of confusing the public.

Anwar made the declaration on Saturday at a gathering convened
to give thanks for the recent honor that the government conferred
upon several Masyumi leaders, including Kasman Singodimejo, Bagus
Hadikusumo, Prawoto Mangkusasmito and Jusuf Wibisono.

Anwar, who now chairs the influential Indonesian Council for
Islamic Propagation, told nearly 1,000 people that the members
and supporters of Masyumi "are not stirred by the wish of several
parties to establish new organizations under any name".

"If there are people who wish to establish a new mass
organization with the name Masyumi, though without the identity
of Masyumi, then they (run the risk of) confusing the public," he
told the audience, which included legislator Aisjah Amini and
leading dissidents Ali Sadikin and HJC Princen.

Anwar, once a Masyumi spokesman, was responding to speculation
that ex-Masyumi members would establish a mass organization under
the same name. Under the current laws, people can only establish
social and mass organizations and not political parties.

The speculation emerged amid the mushrooming of new
organizations using the names of past and defunct political
parties, including the "new" PNI and the "new" Parkindo. The name
of the political party, Masyumi, stood for Majelis Syuro Muslimin
Indonesia.

Several prominent activists, including Ridwan Saidi and Agus
Miftach, have proposed the establishment of Majelis Syarikat
Ummat Muslimin Indonesia (the Indonesian Moslem Congregation)
whose acronym is also Masyumi.

Miftach denied any links between the "new" Masyumi and the
defunct party. The new organization, he said, has no connection
whatsoever with the leaders or activists of the old party.

"Debates (about whether there is need for the establishment of
the organization) are therefore irrelevant," he said in a
statement made available to the press yesterday.

Masyumi, established on Nov. 7, 1943, in Yogyakarta, was a
merger of Islamic organizations and political parties
Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama and Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia.

Following tensions and conflicts with Masyumi, the Old Order
administration gave the party a deadline of 30 days to dissolve
or to be outlawed. Masyumi leaders took the first option. (swe)