Political parties view to claim Moslem vote

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Under the hot March sun, about 20,000 members of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) gathered at Simpang Lima Plaza in Semarang, Central Java, to see their leader Abdurrahman Wahid and his new ally Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.

The Istigoshah Qubro (grand prayer service) was attended by Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono, whose public support for Golkar has drawn nationwide criticism, Central Java Governor Soewardi and the Diponegoro regional military command's chief, Maj. Gen. Subagyo H.S.

Abdurrahman told the crowd that Golkar deputy chairwoman Hardiyanti was "a figure of the future".

K.H. Muslim Imampuro, the senior NU ulema known as Abdurrahman's "spiritual guru," then led a prayer that God would make Hardiyanti the next Indonesian vice president.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, made many more appearances with Hardiyanti in cities in East Java and Central Java. Many NU members live in these cities, making them United Development Party (PPP) constituencies.

A group of NU youths in Yogyakarta have protested Abdurrahman's "political maneuvering", and demanded that he "stop confusing the nahdliyin (NU members)".

Abdurrahman's closeness with Hardiyanti is all the more controversial because it was publicized right after sectarian unrest in Pekalongan, Central Java, and other NU strongholds.

Many have speculated that Golkar caused the riots to weaken the PPP and meddle with the Nahdlatul Ulama. There is also speculation that Abdurrahman formed the alliance with Hardiyanti to save the NU, even at the expense of other political alliances.

Islamic politics expert Deliar Noer once said that the political elite had never taken the potential of Moslems' political strength seriously. "Moslems' votes are sought only when the government needs to legitimize its power," he wrote in 1988.

Through the periods of Dutch colonialism, Japanese' occupation, the Old Order administration and now the New Order administration the political elite's treatment of Moslems has fundamentally remained unchanged. The Moslems are used when necessary and then sidelined.

Political observer Daniel Dhakidae, also a director of the research and development center of Kompas daily, said the government was increasingly needing to legitimize itself with support from Moslems.

"Before (the 1990s), the New Order government did not need to justify its existence with something from outside, such as the military's support or development.

"Now all of a sudden the government has turned to Islam. This moment is historical, strategic and crucial," Dhakidae said.

Observe

Dhakidae said there were two important features of the government's program to attract Moslems' sympathy. First was the creation of the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) and its members' positions in the bureaucracy, legislative councils and other key economic and political positions.

The second was that ICMI was licensed to publish the Republika daily when the government had stopped issuing new media licenses.

Dhakidae said "these facilities" let ICMI extensively propagate Islamic symbolism.

"The Islamic nuance of the New Order government is for real," Dhakidae said. "So it's natural that Islamic groups now support the New Order government."

Mohammad A.S. Hikam, a political observer at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said that stressing Islamic identities in politics might help Moslems mobilize.

"On the other hand, the ploy could prove to be destructive for the very diverse Indonesia," he said.

Hikam has every right to be concerned given last month's clash between PPP supporters and Golkar supporters in Temanggung, Central Java.

The Golkar supporters were returning from a Koran class while the PPP supporters were on their way home from a party function.

The two groups of about 200 people ran into each other, called each other names and then fought with stones, knives and other weapons.

Eight were rushed to hospital: two in a critical condition.

Both groups shouted Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) as their "war" cry.

Dhakidae said that Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama and other Moslem groups were worried that they were expendable, to be dumped by the elite as soon as they were no longer needed.

"However, much depends on the Moslems themselves. They should build their political force... so that they can serve not only as a group that gives the government legitimacy," Dhakidae said. (38)