Managing Politics and Islam in Indonesia

MANAGING POLITICS AND ISLAM IN INDONESIA 10159. Golkar leaders, cabinet ministers, businessmen and professionals also joined theassociation. The Minister of Religion and his staff, officials from MUI, theMinister of Internal Affairs, and the Minister of Information participated in ICMI’sfirst steering committee meetings; Aqsha et al., Islam in Indonesia: A Survey ofEvents, p.275; Hefner, ‘Islam, State, and Civil Society’, pp.18–28; Schwarz, ANation in Waiting, p.177.60. Aqsha et al., Islam in Indonesia: A Survey of Events, p.24; Forum Keadilan, 6April 1998; Kompas Online, 11 February 1997; Panji Masyarakat, 11–20 May1992.61. Habibie later caved in to pressure by creating the post of Secretary General.62. Interviews with Haidar Bagir (an editor and senior board member on Republika),11 February 1994; Dawam Rahardjo (ICMI intellectual and NGO leader), 27January 1994.63. Interview with Dawam, 27 January 1994; Tempo, 9 February 1991, 23 February1991.64. Interview with Amien, 4 January 1994.65. Amien’s popularity as an opponent of Suharto had soared since his ouster fromICMI. Dissension against Suharto had grown significantly between the mid-1990sand early 1997, with new, independent organisations appearing on the politicallandscape to challenge corporatist arrangements. In this context, state interventionin the leadership choices of the main political and social organisations increasinglyhad failed to prevent the rise of independent figures to the top leadership of theseorganisations. Despite state interventions, Megawati was elected as PDI chair in1993—although she was cast aside in July 1996—and Abdurrahman Wahidnarrowly defeated the state-backed candidate in 1994. It appears that Amien can becounted among the independent leaders that successfully defeated stateinterventions of this kind. Tempo, 11 January 1999; Harian Terbit, 24 February1997; John McBeth, ‘Line in the Sand’, Far Eastern Economic Review, 27 March1997; interview with Marzuki Darusman (leader of Komnas HAM), 6 July 1997.66. Interview with Sri Bintang, 8 February 1994.67. The Jakarta Post, 22 February 1997; Poskota, 8 March 1997; interview withMarzuki, 6 July 1997.68. Republika Online, 10 December 1995; Fealy, ‘Indonesian Politics, 1995–96’, pp.25–6.69. Interviews with Sudomo, 30 October 1997; Murdani , 5 November 1997.70. Jawa Pos, 12 August 1997. Honna highlighted the important role performed byHartono when he was in charge of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhamnas) ofroutinising ABRI’s vigilance discourse as part of the military’s social surveillance,intelligence and security operations. Honna, The Military and Democratisation’,pp. 156–64.71. Jawa Pos, 12 August 1997; Gatra, 16 August 1997; Kompas Online, 7 August1997.72. See chapter eight.73. Ultimately, Habibie’s projects such as the state-owned aircraft manufacturing plant(IPTN), a shipyard, the controversial purchase and refurbishment of thirty-ninewarships from the former East German navy, and the promotion of nuclear powerplants have required extensive protection and massive government subsidies,