Remembering Abdillah Toha, PAN Co-Founder and Islamic Thinker

The National Mandate Party (PAN) is mourning the loss of one of its founders, Abdillah Toha, who passed away at the age of 84 on Tuesday (26 May). Viva Yoga Mauladi, PAN’s Deputy Chairman, described Abdillah Toha not only as a politician but also a modernist Islamic thinker and columnist. ‘Abdillah Toha was a prominent Indonesian figure known as a senior politician, writer, columnist, Muslim intellectual, former member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), and one of the early leaders of the National Mandate Party (PAN),’ Viva stated. Abdillah co-founded PAN with Amien Rais following Suharto’s downfall in May 1998. In the DPR, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Defence Committee and Chairman of the PAN faction from 2004 to 2009. Born in Solo, Central Java, in 1942, Abdillah graduated from the University of Western Australia and was in the same cohort as the 11th Vice President, Boediono. Despite graduating with a degree in commerce, Abdillah was also renowned as a modernist Islamic thinker. One of his notable works is ‘What’s the Point of Religion? Reflections on Religious Meaning in Diversity’. Beyond his party work, Abdillah was active in several Islamic organisations, including HMI, ICMI, and as a founder and member of the Paramadina Foundation. He was also a founder and Chairman of Mizan Publishing Group.