Two academics named for Muhammadiyah Youth top job
<p>Two academics named for Muhammadiyah Youth top job</p><p>Edith Hartanto and Yogita Tahilramani, The Jakarta Post,
Surabaya, East Java</p><p> University rector Suyoto and university lecturer Abdul Mukti
emerged Tuesday as the strongest candidates for the post of
Muhammadiyah youth wing chief.</p><p>As of 11 p.m. on Tuesday, the election for the leader of the
country's second largest Muslim organization's youth wing had yet
to begin.</p><p>But Muhammadiyah officials said that should another candidate
emerge, they would not be surprised.</p><p>"Elections are unpredictable. So, let's wait and see," one
official said.</p><p>Suyoto is the rector of the Muhammadiyah University in the
East Java town of Gresik, while Abdul Mu'ti, a graduate from
Flinders University in South Australia, is a lecturer in the
Walisongo Institute for Islamic Studies.</p><p>The new leader will likely be elected in the early hours of
Wednesday morning, according to the youth wing congress's
organizing committee members.</p><p>A total of 13 candidates had earlier been selected out of 120
leadership hopefuls.</p><p>The majority of votes cast by Muhammadiyah members went to PAN
in the 1999 election, a matter which earlier caused some friction
at the congress venue, the Asrama Haji in Sukolilo, between
candidates who were officials of other political parties,
including the United Development Party (PPP).</p><p>PAN is led by former Muhammadiyah Youth leader and former
Muhammadiyah chairman, Amien Rais, who is now the speaker of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).</p><p>Abdul Mu'ti himself does not belong to any political party.
The congress decided on Monday that a candidate must first resign
from any political party posts he held in order to be appointed
youth wing leader.</p><p>According to Suyoto, social changes could be more effectively
brought about if Muhammadiyah Youth were to transform itself and
focus on spreading Islam.</p><p>"The core missions of Muhammadiyah need to be actualized,"
Suyoto said in his policy statement.</p><p>The former chief of Muhammadiyah Youth in Central Java said he
dreamed that the organization would become a reference for other
youth organizations.</p><p>The 70-year-old Muhammadiyah Youth's five functions include
seeking out potential members, recruiting potential members, and
sending them on peaceful religious missions to spread Islam. But
the organization has yet to produce national oriented programs to
help solve the nation's economic, social and political problems.</p><p>Muhammadiyah officials have said that Muhammadiyah Youth
should have a charismatic leader who could help shift the
organization's attention from internal affairs and political
issues to focus more on secular issues like labor, the Indonesian
judicial system, the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, health,
the environment, gender, and the electoral bill.</p><p>"How can they produce national oriented programs when they
have never discussed these issues in the first place?" a
Muhammadiyah leader, Rizal Sukma, had earlier said.</p><p>"It is my hope that the new Muhammadiyah Youth leader will not
be sucked into political power plays."</p>
Surabaya, East Java</p><p> University rector Suyoto and university lecturer Abdul Mukti
emerged Tuesday as the strongest candidates for the post of
Muhammadiyah youth wing chief.</p><p>As of 11 p.m. on Tuesday, the election for the leader of the
country's second largest Muslim organization's youth wing had yet
to begin.</p><p>But Muhammadiyah officials said that should another candidate
emerge, they would not be surprised.</p><p>"Elections are unpredictable. So, let's wait and see," one
official said.</p><p>Suyoto is the rector of the Muhammadiyah University in the
East Java town of Gresik, while Abdul Mu'ti, a graduate from
Flinders University in South Australia, is a lecturer in the
Walisongo Institute for Islamic Studies.</p><p>The new leader will likely be elected in the early hours of
Wednesday morning, according to the youth wing congress's
organizing committee members.</p><p>A total of 13 candidates had earlier been selected out of 120
leadership hopefuls.</p><p>The majority of votes cast by Muhammadiyah members went to PAN
in the 1999 election, a matter which earlier caused some friction
at the congress venue, the Asrama Haji in Sukolilo, between
candidates who were officials of other political parties,
including the United Development Party (PPP).</p><p>PAN is led by former Muhammadiyah Youth leader and former
Muhammadiyah chairman, Amien Rais, who is now the speaker of the
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).</p><p>Abdul Mu'ti himself does not belong to any political party.
The congress decided on Monday that a candidate must first resign
from any political party posts he held in order to be appointed
youth wing leader.</p><p>According to Suyoto, social changes could be more effectively
brought about if Muhammadiyah Youth were to transform itself and
focus on spreading Islam.</p><p>"The core missions of Muhammadiyah need to be actualized,"
Suyoto said in his policy statement.</p><p>The former chief of Muhammadiyah Youth in Central Java said he
dreamed that the organization would become a reference for other
youth organizations.</p><p>The 70-year-old Muhammadiyah Youth's five functions include
seeking out potential members, recruiting potential members, and
sending them on peaceful religious missions to spread Islam. But
the organization has yet to produce national oriented programs to
help solve the nation's economic, social and political problems.</p><p>Muhammadiyah officials have said that Muhammadiyah Youth
should have a charismatic leader who could help shift the
organization's attention from internal affairs and political
issues to focus more on secular issues like labor, the Indonesian
judicial system, the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, health,
the environment, gender, and the electoral bill.</p><p>"How can they produce national oriented programs when they
have never discussed these issues in the first place?" a
Muhammadiyah leader, Rizal Sukma, had earlier said.</p><p>"It is my hope that the new Muhammadiyah Youth leader will not
be sucked into political power plays."</p>