Reform and reformists

Muhammadiyah is no doubt the largest socio-educational organization in Indonesia, running more than 13,000 schools and dozens of hospitals, health clinics and orphanages. The 83-year- old reformist group was established in 1912 to free Moslems from widespread established traditions which were not in line with Islamic teachings. The organization promoted a revival of religious thought among Moslems and called for a return to the basic truths of Islam.

It was quite a revolution in the Moslem way of thinking when Muhammadiyah started building modern schools, many of which used the Dutch language. And the organization grew well. It provided jobs for nationalist activists who refused to work for the Dutch administration and its schools became accepted alternatives to the colonial educational institutions.

With Muhammadiyah opening its 43rd congress in Banda Aceh today, many thinking Indonesians are discussing the position which the organization enjoys in a time of rapid change, both in Indonesia and globally. Muhammadiyah remains relevant today and it will grow, provided it is able to anticipate future challenges.

Many believe that, in facing a turbulent future which will be marked by the growing influence of communications technology, Muhammadiyah needs to look, not only far into the future, but also back, to its long history.

For the past five decades, experts believe, Muhammadiyah has been busy preserving the status quo. There have been no fresh ideas about how best to prepare Moslems for the 21st century. The organization has not produced any new ideas on ways of addressing social crises, while its educational institutions have become carbon copies of those of the government and are struggling with problems of quality. More lamentable is the fact that the organization has failed to distance itself from the establishment.

Perhaps this has happened because the organization has grown too big and lacks the funding needed to modernize its schools. Up to the 1950s, Muhammadiyah activists were successful in economic activities, such as running profitable batik factories. The situation is different now, and not only for Muhammadiyah traders.

Under the current capitalistic system small businesses have had to move aside for the newly arisen giants. Large batik factories owned by Muhammadiyah leaders have faded away one by one. Some have tried to keep their heads above water with small shops.

Another question, besides that of its financial and economic constraints, is whether Muhammadiyah can respond to future challenges. The mood during the preliminary meetings of the current congress in Banda Aceh did not seem to point in that direction.

The hustle and bustle surrounding the election of candidates for the new executive board failed to define the characteristics of the kind of leaders which Muhammadiyah needs.

This is no small problem because this nation is now witnessing cultural contamination and a Westernization drive, both of which are more serious than any tide of social pollution that has washed into this country from the West since the 17th century.

Amid the globalization trend and under the current economic system, this country is witnessing the birth of an economic middle class whose members will produce a new generation of children with a strongly westernized orientation. This, too, will pose a new challenge for Muhammadiyah, as an organization which focuses on the promotion of religious values.

We hope the Muhammadiyah congress will give more thought to these problems.