Traditional allegiances 'inconsequential'
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta
After this year's elections, Indonesian politics would not be polarized between the traditional ideological groupings of Islamists and nationalists, under which political parties formed rival coalitions to claim power, analysts said on Thursday.
They told The Jakarta Post that short-term interests would instead prompt political parties to establish alliances ahead of and after the Sept. 20 presidential runoff.
The nationalists-versus-Islamists dichotomy was no longer relevant in explaining contemporary political developments, they added.
"Such an idea is narrow-minded and apparently disregards a new development that has unfolded over the last couple of years, in which the demarcation between nationalist and Islamist groups has become blurred," noted scholar Muslim Abdurrahman said.
He said such a polarization no longer existed, as was proved by the July 5 presidential election, during which Muslims voted for a candidate known for his nationalist outlook.
"A large number of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah supporters voted for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, ignoring instructions from their respective parties to choose the candidates they endorsed," Muslim said, referring to the country's two largest Muslim organizations.
He said voters had become politically mature and independent, and could not be directed as easily to believe that traditional alliances still mattered in politics.
As an ideology, nationalism had become obsolete owing to constant pressure from the globalization effort, Muslim added.
"Political parties claiming to be fighters of nationalism are seen as remnants of a bygone era.
"The same goes for political parties that promote Islamism. People no longer believe that such parties will strive to promote the cause of their faith," he said.
His view was shared by another Muslim scholar, Komaruddin Hidayat of Jakarta-based Paramadina Mulya University, who said the coalitions being formed recently were based only on short- term interests.
Major and minor parties are exploring coalition possibilities of the runoff.
An executive of the Golkar Party said it was ready to form a coalition with the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) after PKB leader Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid thawed his three-year chill relations with PDI-P leader and incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Megawati, who is up for a reelection bid against key rival Susilo of the upstart Democratic Party, is reportedly planning to hold a similar meeting with National Mandate Party (PAN) leader Amien Rais in the near future over a possible alliance.
It is also likely the United Development Party (PPP), led by Vice President Hamzah Haz, will throw its weight behind Megawati.
"You can see that leaders of some Muslim-based parties (like Gus Dur, Amien and Hamzah) are also approaching Megawati. How will you explain within this context that Islam is against nationalism," Komaruddin said.
He said the moves were an effort at making power-sharing arrangements in the next government.
Komaruddin, who also chairs the official Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), said people would not be bothered by the cross-ideological alliances as long as it was intended to create an effective government.
He underlined that political pragmatism had moved parties away from the traditional division between Islamism and nationalism.
"There has been a healthy trend in the last couple of years, during which all boundaries have become obscure. We have seen candidates known for their Islamist views team up with those who have secular orientations," Komaruddin said, referring to Amien Rais' pairing with running mate Siswono Yudhohusodo, and Susilo with Jusuf Kalla.