Religious leaders pledge neutrality

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Religious leaders pledged on Wednesday to remain neutral in the general election and appealed to the followers of the various religions to maintain their composure in the face of provocation from political parties.

Muhammadiyah Chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif, Solahuddin Wahid from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) Chairman Rev. Nathan Setiabudi said the religious groups had no connection with any religion-based political parties.

"Those parties do not represent religious communities; they are just using religious symbols to woo voters," Syafii said.

"They can promise to fight for the adoption of sharia or wear long robes to attract voters, and these all make me sick because they just do it for the sake of their (political) goals."

The three religious leaders were speaking in a seminar held by the Election Education Network for the People (JPPR) here on Thursday.

JPPR groups youth organizations affiliated with Muhammadiyah, including Muhammadyah Youth Organization, the Association of Muhammadiyah Students and Muhammadiyah women's youth wing Nasiatul Aisyiyah.

The group is also cooperating with youth organizations affiliated to the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and non-Muslim groups in conducting voter education programs.

Nathan said Christians would exercising their political rights as citizens, not members of churches.

"Parties that adopt certain religious symbols have no right to claim they represent the public, because they may fail to live up to their promises," Nathan said.

Muhammadiyah has always been linked to the National Mandate Party (PAN), while several parties, including the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP), have claimed to represent NU and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) has been associated with Christianity.

Muhammadiyah sprang a surprise recently when it announced its support for PAN chairman Amien Rais' presidential bid. Amien is Syafii's predecessor.

But Syafii retracted the Muslim group's decision on Wednesday, saying Muhammadiyah had never nominated an individual presidential candidate.

Ahead of the April 5 election, religious leaders are being wooed by political parties.

Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Soekarnoputri visited NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi at his Islamic boarding school in Malang, East Java earlier this month.

Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung and Amien have also toured Java to meet Muslim clerics, so will the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) leader Siti "Tutut" Hardijanti Rukmana, Soeharto's eldest daughter.

Solahuddin said NU had fought hard to distance itself from politics since it reinstated its status as a non-political organization in 1984.

"NU is not a political body. It cannot name certain individuals as its presidential candidates. NU executives who have political ambitions must resign and struggle for their goals through political parties," he said.

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"People have to learn that even God is being hijacked by Indonesian politicians," Muhammadiyah Chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif.