PPP struggles to hold on to support of Moslems

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of United Development Party (PPP) supporters roaming the streets of Yogyakarta on motorcycles were a common sight even before campaigning officially began.

The supporters found excuses to form convoys months before the campaign: public holidays were particularly good excuses. The supporters took to the streets yelling Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) while wearing green PPP T-shirts and bandannas. They waved placards and posters inscribed with Jihad, Moslems' call to fight for the cause of Allah.

Yogyakarta, Pekalongan and other cities in Central Java and cities in East Java are PPP strongholds because of their Islamic traditions. In past elections, the PPP has won votes in these cities by campaigning with the call to fight for the cause of Allah and using Islamic symbols.

But the Moslem-based party no longer monopolizes Islam as a political commodity.

Leaders and supporters of Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) are using Islamic symbols and attributes to win votes. Even Dangdut singer Rhoma Irama justified his change of allegiance from the PPP to Golkar by saying Golkar was "now more Islamic".

Campaign banners now say: "Golkar's Mission is to Meet Moslems' Aspirations," or "Allahu Akbar, Islam is My Religion, PDI is My Choice."

But PPP is insisting that its Islam differs to the other parties' Islam. In Kauman village, Yogyakarta, banners tell people to support the "PPP's Islam". The village, a PPP stronghold, has a very Islamic community.

But how effective is the PPP's new campaign policy?

History

M. Imam Azis, director of the Yogyakarta-based Center of Social and Islamic Studies, said Moslems and Islamic symbols have always been exploited by parties seeking votes in general elections.

"It dates back to the first general election after Indonesia's independence, when Moslems believed that they should be represented by one political party," he said.

This aspiration led to the 1943 birth of the highly influential Majelis Syuro Muslimin Indonesia (Masyumi) party. Masyumi, a fusion of several Moslem parties including Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, was a powerful political force in the early years of Indonesia's independence.

Masyumi began to oppose president Sukarno in the late 1950s. Many of its leaders, unhappy with the Indonesian Communist Party's growing power, then joined the PRRI/Permesta rebels under local Army leaders in Sumatra and Sulawesi.

In 1960, Sukarno gave the party a 30-day deadline to dissolve or be outlawed, and sent some leaders to jail.

President Soeharto released the Masyumi leaders when he came to power in 1966, but they were barred from reviving the party or assuming influential positions in any political organizations.

The New Order administration consolidated its power between the late 1960s and early 1970s, campaigning strongly against sectarian politics.

This policy weakened religion-based parties. In the July 1971 election, Golkar won 62.8 percent of the vote, while seven other parties shared 37.2 percent.

In 1973, Islamic parties were forced to merge, becoming the PPP, while nationalist and Christian parties formed the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

In 1984, the PPP, at its first congress, declared itself a sociopolitical organization based on the state ideology Pancasila. It then changed its logo for the 1987 general election from the Kaaba to a five-point star, which is believed to have cut its influence among Moslems even further.

But the party's most significant blow came when the huge Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization, which joined the party in 1973, withdrew its support in 1987.

Competition

Now that PPP no longer monopolizes Islam in campaigns, what can it do to woo Moslem voters away from Golkar and PDI?

Golkar, with plenty of money at hand, has gone all out to attract the Moslem vote. Many leaders of Islamic organizations have joined Golkar, which has helped build thousands of mosques. Some say the influential Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals's (ICMI) establishment means that Moslems have gone a full circle in their relations with the government.

Golkar capitalizes from improved relations with Moslems by projecting an image that it is taking care of their needs. Golkar leaders have been visiting Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) regularly to talk to their students whose families are traditional PPP constituents.

Had the PDI not split in two, its leaders would also probably have visited the pesantren to win over Moslems. Megawati, through an alliance with Abdurrahman Wahid last year, won the sympathy of many Moslems.

The PDI had established some institutions to win votes from Moslem strongholds. But a shortage of funds has limited the party to holding Koran recitals rather than building mosques like Golkar.

Power base

Imam Aziz said he believed that PPP had great support among Moslems, but it might be insufficient for the party's future.

"Any party using religious fundamentalism as its power base will not be popular," Imam Azis said.

Then how can PPP attract votes?

"There will always be ways," said Abdul Munir Mulkhan, a researcher at the State Institute for Islamic Studies Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta.

He said that, in the 1955 general election, Masyumi did not just have the support of the santri (Moslem communities around pesantren). PPP should be able to do the same.

"PPP should be able to attract votes from among those who are not santri," said Mudrick Setiawan M. Sangidoe, the chairman of PPP's chapter in Surakarta, Central Java. "If PPP really thinks and works for people, it'll get their votes."

He cited the PPP's battle against the planned renovation of Klewer market in Surakarta as a way the party could win votes. PPP members in the local legislative council fought tooth and nail against the plan which threatened many small-stall holders. The PPP won and the plan was abandoned.

"The traders were then positive about PPP," Mudrick said. "Most of them will surely vote for PPP in this election. Even without Islamic symbols, PPP will still getting people's support, if it really cares about them." (38)