Poll defeat not end of Islamic political life

Poll defeat not end of Islamic political life

JAKARTA (JP): Politician Yusril Ihza Mahendra refuted on
Sunday suggestions that the defeat Islamic parties suffered at
the June 7 polls signified an end to Muslims' political activism.

Addressing over 5,000 people thronging the Al-Azhar Grand
Mosque in South Jakarta, the chairman of the Crescent Star Party
(PBB) said politics was a never-ending process and that no defeat
or victory were eternal.

Too many factors were at play in the June 7 polls that saw
millions of Indonesian Muslims supporting the secular Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) led by Megawati
Soekarnoputri, Yusril said.

He said a psychological study of the masses, who tend to side
with the oppressed, should be carried out. Following the New
Order regime's mistreatment of Megawati, she became a symbol of
the oppressed.

"Had the (June 7) polls been held following an incident like
that in Tanjung Priok (which Muslims believe was a massacre of
their brothers in 1994), Islamic parties would have won," Yusril
said.

He suggested the defeat be treated as an opportunity for
Muslims to introspect, pointing out how Muslim leaders and
politicians were so hungry for power that they verbally attacked
each another.

He also spoke of the weaknesses in Islamic organizations,
citing a saying of Caliphate Ali ibn Abi Thalib that a well
organized "evil force" can defeat a disorganized al haq (a force
of good).

Yusril, a professor of law from the University of Indonesia
who resigned from his post for the sake of his political
activities, appeased Muslims' concern about their defeat in the
polls. He said the vote counting was not yet over, but that it
was likely the leading parties would remain PDI Perjuangan, the
ruling Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP), the National
Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), PBB and
the Justice Party.

Just like the first multiparty polls that Indonesia had in
1955, no parties would be able to claim to be "the winner" of the
1999 polls. Even if PDI Perjuangan won 38 percent of the vote, it
could not be called the victor because the runner-up and other
leading parties would be on its heels, he said. "Now, this is
unlike Golkar, which grabbed 74 percent of the total vote in the
1997 polls," he said, not mentioning by what means Golkar
obtained a victory.

Among the consequences of the relatively evenly distributed
shares in the vote, Yusril said, was a possible deadlock in the
presidential election.

Yusril was speaking at a tabligh akbar (a large gathering) to
discuss Muslims' political role after the polls; the event was
organized by Asyafi'iyah Islamic Teaching Institute and the
Indonesian Committee for World Muslim Solidarity (KISDI). The
speakers included Ahmad Sumargono of KISDI.

Some of the speakers criticized Muslim clerics who publicly
aired their differences regarding whether Islam allows a woman to
become president.

Some Muslim clerics are divided over whether predominately
Muslim Indonesia could accept Megawati as the next president, but
others point out that using the Islam approach is a political
weapon to force her out of the picture. Yet others cite other
weaknesses in Megawati's presidential potential -- her perceived
lack of political skills and her conservative outlook regarding
the reform agenda -- which they believe are more damaging to
Megawati's credibility.(swe)