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208 MANAGING POLITICS AND ISLAM IN INDONESIApolitically from cont<strong>in</strong>ued accommodation with Suharto. The cab<strong>in</strong>etcomposition also demonstrated that Suharto was not serious about implement<strong>in</strong>greforms.Although Suharto had previously disappo<strong>in</strong>ted the <strong>in</strong>telligentsia by not giv<strong>in</strong>gits members cab<strong>in</strong>et positions <strong>in</strong> 1993, this had not led to their defection from thepresident. The difference this time was the political context of deep crisis <strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>tensify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>tra-elite rivalry before an anticipated post-Suharto period. Themomentum of student-led public protest <strong>and</strong> societal activation provided muchof the impetus for change. Only <strong>in</strong> mid-May 1998, however, when publicsentiment had turned assuredly aga<strong>in</strong>st Suharto, did more cautious ICMI leaders<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>tellectuals f<strong>in</strong>d the courage to call openly for Suharto to resign. It appearsthat some members of the <strong>in</strong>telligentsia hoped that under a Habibie presidencythey would ga<strong>in</strong> strategic positions <strong>in</strong> a reconfigured power structure <strong>and</strong> wouldbe able to promote democratic reforms. 59Before the clear shift <strong>in</strong> public mood, members of ICMI’s <strong>in</strong>telligentsia forseveral years had wished to see Suharto resign. However, with the exceptions ofAmien Rais <strong>and</strong> Sri B<strong>in</strong>tang Pamungkas, most of them, before this time, hadbeen unwill<strong>in</strong>g to air their views publicly. They had long desired political reformbut also realised that, through <strong>in</strong>corporation <strong>in</strong> ICMI, Suharto gave themprotection from rival groups, especially from nationalist elements <strong>in</strong> ABRI. It wasalso too dangerous to oppose Suharto, with the imprisonment of B<strong>in</strong>tang hav<strong>in</strong>gdemonstrated this danger. Until this po<strong>in</strong>t, <strong>in</strong>corporation <strong>and</strong> the threat ofsanctions had acted as relatively effective mechanisms for neutralis<strong>in</strong>g dissent<strong>in</strong>gvoices <strong>in</strong> ICMI.SUHARTO LOSING CONTROLThe groundswell of student-led opposition (<strong>and</strong> emerg<strong>in</strong>g chaos) to Suharto’sNew Order thus far discussed created tremendous pressures on the political eliteto call for the president’s s resignation. Confronted by crisis, corporatism <strong>and</strong>repression failed to conta<strong>in</strong> societal dem<strong>and</strong>s for participation. From 18 Mayuntil their removal on the 24 th , <strong>in</strong> an act of open defiance, thous<strong>and</strong>s of studentsoccupied the parliament build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the South Jakarta suburb of Senayan <strong>and</strong> metwith the parliamentary fractions. A veritable cornucopia of student umbrellaorganisations crowded the parliamentary compound. Muslim leaders <strong>and</strong>organisations comprised a significant segment of the student-led reformmovement push<strong>in</strong>g for change of government <strong>in</strong> the last days of Suharto’spresidency. Represent<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Islam</strong>ic organisational presence was the umbrellaKAMMI, the Regional Corps of HMI Alumni (KAHMI), <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Indonesia</strong>nMuslim Community Movement for Reform (Gemanusi)—an umbrella toorganisations like HMI, the Muhammadiyah University Students Association,Muhammadiyah Youth, <strong>Indonesia</strong>n Secondary School Students (PII), the<strong>Indonesia</strong>n Muslim Youth Movement (GPII), <strong>and</strong> the NU’s Ansor Youth. Also