Try warns of danger of theocratic state

Try warns of danger of theocratic state

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno warned yesterday of
the danger of flirting with the idea of turning Indonesia into a
theocracy.

Try said the predominantly Moslem country of 190 million
people should learn from its bitter past when the nation was
divided for 350 years by colonial powers.

"We don't want to see any attempt by anyone or any group to
turn Indonesia into a theocracy," he said when opening the first
congress of Majelis Muslimin Indonesia (MMI), a Moslem
organization affiliated with the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

The three-day congress is taking place in Kopo, a scenic
holiday resort about 60 kilometers south of here. It will elect a
new chairman, adopt statutes and launch a five-year program.

Try's reminder came amid smoldering controversy over the
emergence of organizations set up along religious lines, a
tendency which has triggered the fear of eroding nationalism and
brewing extremism.

Even though official statistics show that almost 90 percent of
Indonesia's populace embraces Islam, the government considers any
attempt to make it a theocracy subversive. Subversion is one of
the most serious offenses under the law and is punishable by
death.

Try also pointed out that the various secessionist rebellions
occurring after Indonesia gained independence in 1945 should
serve as an invaluable lesson on the importance of national
unity.

"The various pressures and temptations should not easily sweep
us off our feet," he said.

Dull mood

In Kopo, the congress began in a dull mood with the
conspicuous absence of prominent rebel ulemas from the Moslem-
oriented United Development Party (PPP) who have threatened to
join PDI as MMI officials have advertised.

MMI officials earlier promised to make the congress special
with the presence of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Abdurrahman
Wahid and well-known ulemas, such as Alawy Muhammad, who dislike
PPP's new leadership.

"Alawy is ill, but has assured his support of our cause," said
MMI chairman Wim Salamun, who met with Alawy in Madura, East
Java, and invited him to the gathering recently.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, who were scheduled to address the
gathering, were absent and sent lower-ranking officials on their
behalf.

The order of the day was speculation among the about 100
participants from across the country about who will replace
Salamun, who has been at the helm since MMI was founded in 1984.

Businessman Sugeng Saryadi and legislator Dimmy Haryanto
appeared the strongest candidates, although the latter was
reluctant to enter the race, saying he would take up "any job but
the chairmanship".

Sugeng has received strong backing from participants who want
to see MMI grow along with his personal fortune, observers said.
(pan)