Paper no.1021	09. 06.2004
INDONESIA: Elections and Islam by C.S Kuppuswamy Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation.  Even though the majority of the country’s Muslims are moderates, the Islamic political parties have especially after the down fall of Suharto started demanding the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of Sharia.  Some of the political parties support even radical groups such as the Indonesian Mujahidin council.  Indonesia has continued to be a secular state since 1945 despite the Muslim majority.  The candidates for the elections are broadly classified as nationalists and Islamists and all along the voters have favoured the nationalists in the parliamentary elections.  Since this is the first time  (on July 5, 2004) the country will be voting directly for the president, it is doubtful whether the same trend will continue in the presidential elections also.  In the past the president was elected by the MPs.  In this connection the formation of the Central Axis alliance of Muslim parties (after the 1999 elections) which successfully supported Abdurrahman Wahid’s presidential bid at the cost of Megawati’s rightful chance, is noteworthy. Political Parties  Of the three major political parties, Golkar, Democratic Party of Struggle of Indonesia (PDI-P) and the United Development Party (PPP) the first two are known to be secular-nationalist oriented parties, while the PPP drew its support from the Muslim voters of the two major Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah. Since the democratic elections held in 1999 (after the downfall of Suharto) many new parties have come into being of which some are religion (Islam) oriented.  These are: The National Awakening Party (PKB)  - came into being to fulfill the aspirations of the members of NU.  Abdurrahman Wahid, the fourth president of the country, is the head of the party.  The party has emerged as the third largest party in the legislative elections held on April 5 this year with 10.5 percent of the votes. The National Mandate Party (PAN) - This party is associated with Muhammadiyah, the second biggest Muslim organization in the country. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) – This Islamic party has members from the educated and the middle class and thus shows some promise.  The party has improved its performance by securing over 7 per cent in 2004 as against 1.4 percent in 1999. Muslim Organisations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is the largest traditional Muslim organization with a membership of approximately 40 million. The NU runs mosques, schools and medical clinics throughout the country.   Hasyim Muzadi, who was till recently the chairman, is contesting for the vice-president’s post (along with Megawati for the president).  The NU version of Islam is a more relaxed one building on traditional values as much as on the Islamic scriptures.  Former president Abdurrahman Wahid was earlier the head of this organization and still exerts considerable influence over its members. Muhammadiyah, established in 1912, is the second largest Muslim organization with a membership of around 30 million.  Muhammadiyah is more modernistic with the aim of purifying Islam from local tradition (adat) and return to the original source of Islam, the Quran and the Hadith or the Sunnah.  Amien Rais, the speaker of the National Assembly, was a former head of this organization.  He is vying for the post of the president in this election (July 2004). In addition to the above two major Muslim organizations there are many more activist/radical organizations such as the Islam Propagation Council (Dewan Rakyat Islam –DII), Laskar Jihad, Islam Defenders’ Front (FDI), Komite Indonesia Untuk Solidaritas Dunia Islam (KISDI) and the Indonesian Mujahidin Council. Besides Jemaah Islamiyah, the South East Asian terrorist out fit with links to Al Qaeda, has also its headquarters and a major following in Indonesia. Sharia  Jusuf Wanandi  of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies has analysed that, while in 1955 all Muslim parties formed one block for Sharia law in the constituent assembly, nowadays only 23 per cent at most are proponents of Sharia although PAN and PKB are opposed to it.  During the current elections this issue had not figured prominently.  He has highlighted the two issues with regard to Sharia in Indonesia.  The first is the question of national legislation that will be implemented or be inspired by Sharia on education, food, social issues etc.  Religious education in private schools has come up for discussion at times.  The second issue is the claim of implementation of Sharia by certain regencies, which is more for political gains as legally they can not be put into practice. Performance of the Islamic parties The Islamic parties put together secured 42 percent or 231 seats (out of  550) in the 2004 elections as against 34 per cent of the votes or 171 seats (out of 458) in 1999.  A political analyst has pointed out the percentage (43 per cent) is about the same what all the Muslim parties got in the 1955 election. Support of Muslim Organisations for Candida tes All the five presidential candidates along with their running mates are vying for the support of the two major Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and the Muhammadiyah.  They have also started wooing the other Muslim organizations as well by attending mass prayers, opening ceremonies, visiting Islamic schools and meeting influential clerics. President Megawati has chosen Mr, Hasyim Muzadi, chairman NU has her running mate.  Though the chairman may not be able to deliver the majority of the NU votes, with this move she would have improved her chances for return to power but this ploy seems to have failed because of some clerics of the NU. General Wiranto of Golkar has chosen Mr. Solahuddin Wahid as his running mate. Solahuddin is the younger brother of Abdurrahman Wahid , who is also a former chairman of NU.  He continues to wield enormous influence over it.  Besides in his capacity as head of the National Awakening Party he will be able to direct his party members to vote for Wiranto-Wahid pair.  This has bolstered Wiranto’s chances. Jusuf Kalla, the running mate of of Susilo Bambang Yudhyono, has also some strong ties with NU through his father Achmad Kalla, an erstwhile MP from NU. Vice-President Hamzah Haz, who is also in the race has Agum Gumelar , a retired general, as his running mate who is a key NU member and has also the backing of the United Development Party (an Islamic Party) Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party is known for his religious credentials and he was one of the leaders who prevented Megawati from becoming the president in 1999  through a loose grouping of Islamic parties which helped Abdurrahman Wahid  to become the president.  However this time his chances are not very bright. Concluding remarks All the presidential candidates are making their best efforts to secure the bulk of the 40 million votes of the Nahdlatul Ulama.  Hence the support of the NU will be crucial, though it is likely to be divided among the candidates.  Endorsement by the clerics of this organization who may have some vested interests (monetary or otherwise) with the candidates, is going to have a big impact on the results. It is seen that even the so called secular nationalist parties such as Golkar have among its cadres some Muslim Student Union leaders.  Hence these nationalist parties are also sensitive and up to date on Islamic issues. The issue of Islam did not figure much in the legislative elections (April 2004) as the other issues such as anticorruption, good governance, welfare and unemployment etc., were the major issues that drew the support of the voters. The general elections in Malaysia in March this year, where the fundamentalist Islamic party Pas was routed by UMNO under the leadership of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had its impact on the Indonesian elections.  The Islamic parties had been cautious in their approach by not raising sensitive or fundamentalist issues which might backfire on them According to a press report, an influential group of clerics of NU in East Java issued a fatwa (edict) on 3 June 2004, against choosing a woman as president and for supporting the candidacy of the Wiranto-Wahid pair.  Mr. Abdullah Faqih, the leader of this group of clerics has justified their position by drawing on the tenets of the Islamic Law.  This is a serious setback to Megawati’s chances of returning to power. This also amply indicates the influence of the Muslim clerics on the Indonesian politics. The US attack on Iraq without UN sanction has angered many Indonesian Muslims.  The local government has been accused of pandering to the United States and Australia in fighting terrorism.  The rearrest of Abu Bakar Basyir, the alleged leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, has also not been taken kindly by a large section of the population.  Thus the president to be elected will have to find a new strategy to counter the terrorist threat keeping in mind the sensitivity of the Muslim majority.   For a country that is supposed to be pursuing moderate Islam that strives to harmonise modernity with Islam and adopting politics that are open and inclusive for all Indonesians, the current trends towards the fundamentalist and radical Islam do not bode well.
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