Ramadhan a blessing for Indonesian politics

Muhamad Ali, Jakarta

The month of Ramadhan has just started and all devout Muslims have begun fasting and taking part in other rituals and activities. This Ramadhan, Indonesians will see the inauguration of the new president, vice-president and Cabinet.

Indonesians have just experienced the first direct presidential elections, which many at home and abroad have viewed as fair, democratic and peaceful. These are perhaps the first blessings that Indonesians have received. As many have suggested, a blessing for Muslims in Indonesia means a blessing for all Indonesians.

Indonesia is not officially an Islamic state, nor is it a purely secular state. However, not unlike the United States, Britain and France, in Indonesia religious belief plays an important role in society, albeit in varying degrees and in a changing way.

The role of religion in the public sphere has been acknowledged by many scholars, such as Jose Casanova in his book Public Religion in the Modern World (1994) Robert W. Hefner in his book Civil Islam (2000), and Samuel Huntington in his Who are We? (2004) among others. The theory that holds religion declines as the world becomes modernized has been increasingly challenged. But the issue remains: How religion can be a positive, constructive factor in political life.

Protestantism has been said to play a role in bringing about a capitalist mode of production, which is the engine of modernization. Islam has also been regarded, not as an obstacle to, but a facilitator of modernization. The positive connection between religions and economic development is increasingly recognized. But the potential and actual links between religion and politics are still debated.

The debates will not end because scholars and people have different assumptions and agendas regarding this complex matter. But despite the theoretical debates about the relationship between religion and politics in Indonesia, what matters most is what the politicians themselves actually believe and practice.

Let's take some examples. The leader of the Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS), Hidayat Nur Wahid, once elected as the chairman of the House of Representatives (MPR), resigned from his position as head of the PKS. He wanted to show that holding dual roles, such as the role of president of a party and that of head of a public office, is not appropriate political behavior because it can lead to conflicts of interest. Leaders of public office should not hold particular positions in political parties, Hidayat argued.

More recently, Hidayat and the deputy leaders of the MPR also refused to use the Volvo limousines they were entitled to because they regarded these cars as luxury items and a waste of the national budget. They also argued that to cut the budget on official expenditure would significantly reduce the high cost of governance. They hoped other politicians would wish to follow their example. These small moves mean great things to them and certainly, with these acts, they can make difference.

In most -- if not all -- countries, ethics was, and still is, absent in politics. When a politician wants to be good, sincere and just, he or she is often mocked as a utopian, or at least an idealist. Many believe that to be politician is to be dirty and corrupt. They have excuses or explanations for the dangers of power: Power corrupts. This may be the reality for many but it is does not have to be generally so, because many politicians have demonstrated good ethics or have begun to pay attention to ethical values when practicing politics. The examples of Hidayat and the deputies are just a few.

At this point in history, ethics have become even more crucial if Indonesians are to enthusiastically unite to further reform all aspects of public life. The people have elected their new national leaders primarily based on hopes and promises of change. However, it seems likely now that the structure of the next Cabinet is not going to be significantly changed by the new president. Some old faces may still remain. Therefore, with the lack of structural change, it is primarily the mentality of those in power -- their ethics -- that must be changed.

Change in attitudes will come only from change in outlook. If our new government is willing to pursue change, it must first of all change its mindset and political behavior from the bad, unjust, and insincere to the good, just, and sincere. This may sound too normative, but change is above all about subscribing to a new norm; a commitment to what should be.

In politics, Indonesians have become more mature than before. But they are waiting for their leaders to act and speak according to what they have promised. They are still waiting for examples from their leaders of how to be good, strong and wise. They are watching to see whether their leaders do what they say.

Despite abstinence from food, drink, and sex during day time, the month of Ramadhan has been always full of hard work and success. It should not be the month of laziness, passivity, and ignorance. It is the month of everything that can foster Muslims' faith, a time for good deeds, of sacrifice for the benefit of self and others, while respecting the rights of non-Muslims and non-fasting Muslims.

For our new national leaders, this Ramadhan will be their first month to work as the people's trustees. Trust from the people is an excellent basis for commitment and success. So may the blessings of Ramadhan be on our leaders and may Indonesian politics be much better and more ethical than ever before.

The writer is a lecturer at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN); he is now pursuing his Ph.D in History in Hawaii and is an East-West Center fellow. He can be reached at muhali74@hotmail.com