Managing Politics and Islam in Indonesia

MANAGING POLITICS AND ISLAM IN INDONESIA 97scrap the lottery claiming that it constituted gambling and threatened to boycott thegeneral election of 1992.15. Lowry, The Armed Forces, p.198.16. It must be noted, however, that the Ministry of Religious Affairs acted as theprincipal official organ of state approved religious orthodoxy.17. Gen. (ret.) Benny Murdani (the former Commander-in-Chief of ABRI and formerhead of military intelligence agencies) explains that ABRI worked together in fieldoperations with Bakin and compiled reports about Islamic sects and movements thatmight threaten stability. Once Bakin confirmed the reports, it would take the list ofgroups slated for prohibition to President Suharto. Interviews with Murdani, 5November 1997; Admiral (ret.) Sudomo (head of the Supreme Advisory Council,former Minister of Politics and Security and former Kopkamtib commander), 30October 1997; Nasri Adlani, 4 November 1997; 15 Tahun Majelis Ulama, p.135.18. Interview with Isa Anshari (Secretary to the MUI chairman), 15 December 1996.19. See chapter four; Waspada, 4 March 1997; Lampung Post, 10–28 February 1989.20. Interview with Ma’ruf Amin, 18 and 25 July 1996.21. Interview with Imaduddin Abdulrahim, 2 September 1996. In order to arrive at thisconclusion the author canvassed a range of opinions of Muslim leaders ofindependent Islamic organisations, Muslim bureaucrats at the Department ofReligion, and academics at the IAIN in Jakarta. It appears that Muslim liberalthinkers who opposed bans were in the minority.22. Interview with Harun Nasution, 13 June 1996.23. ‘Laporan Loka Karya, Bimbingan Beragama Masyarakat Kota Dan Desa’, pp.2–23.24. The ulama had originally opposed IUD insertion because Islamic law did notpermit a man, other than her husband, to see a woman’s ‘aurah’. They gave theirapproval twelve years later with the understanding that female medical doctors orparamedical officers would carry out the insertions. The MUI fatwa listed twentyoneverses of al-Qu’ran and Hadiths, followed by ten paragraphs explaining thesignificance of the government’s family planning program, and those parts that didnot violate Islamic law. Munawir Sjadzali explained that ‘Relying precisely on thewords of the Al-Quran and Al-Hadiththey…[the ulama now] endorse and lendtheir support to all government programmes on population, and using the “religiouslanguage” they take an active part, both collectively and individually, in thepropagation and popularisation of the programmes, through both traditional andmodern channels’. Mudzhar, Fatwas of the Council, pp.61, 113; Sjadzali, Islam:Realitas Baru, pp.72–3; Himpunan Keputusan dan Fatwa, pp.103–12.25. In the first phase of the program (1990/1991), the government settled 973 preacherswith their families at sites. In the second phase (1992/1993 and 1995/1996), 900placements were made. In the third phase (1996/1997), the government succeededin settling only 208 preachers. ‘Pelatihan, Penempatan dan Pembinaan TransmigranDa’i’, p.2.26. Interviews with the Director of Sociocultural Guidance (Department ofTransmigration), 10 November 1997; Drs. Muslim (advisory staff to the Directorof Sociocultural Guidance), 10 November 1997; Subagio (Director of Informationat the Department of Religion), 13 November 1997; interview with Anshary, 15December 1996.