Page 411 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

people in general did not cause disunity had severely restricted Muslims political groups. Apparently, the Muslims’ conditions of political consolidation and
but rather constituted a major force in activities. political representation shortly before accelerating economic development,
establishing democracy in Indonesia. Independence was verysmall compared Soeharto implemented his policy by
During the Japanese occupation there to that of the dominating nationalist way of restricting political parties. A
Conclusion was a shift in Indonesian Muslims’ groups. Fierce tussles and debates simplification of political parties was
political movements. Japan tried to
The political role of the Muslims in approach the leaders of Islam in order about the kind of foundation and the enforced so that the existing parties
Indonesia from pre-Independence to rekindle their anti-Dutch spirit and format of the new state of Indonesia had had to be united in three political
period until the contemporary period has it tried to strengthen its position in sprung up especially about the option to streams only, the functionalist group
experienced ups and downs as well as Indonesia by opening political channels make Indonesia an Islamic state based (Golkar), Indonesian Democratic Party
a varietyof dynamics. During the Dutch to Muslims. Various political institutions on Islamic ideology. In the end, the (PDI), and United Development Party
colonial period, the political movements and organizations for Muslims were Islamic leaders showed that they wanted (PPP). Soeharto then applied the
of Muslims were divided into two groups: formed and they received a positive to compromise and they adopted an single principle policy that forced all
those willing to cooperate with the Dutch response from the leaders of Islam at accommodating stance in order not to organizations and political parties to
government and had joined the People’s that time. Muslims were accommodated stand in the way of the formation of the adhere to the principle of the Pancasila.
Council, and groups that refused to in institutions formed by the Japanese independent state of Indonesia. Although Islamic circles had opposed it,
join because they thought the People’s government, viz. the Office of Religious In both the Old and New Order periods, in the end this policy was successfully
Council was ineffective in the struggle Affairs, Masjumi, and Hizbullah. In the Muslims’ political struggle also implemented and came to be accepted
for the fate of the Indonesian nation. this era, there was a shift in the elites’ experienced different dynamics. by the social and political organizations
The SI’s initial high hopes because of its political role in Indonesia from the Debates between the Islamic and in Indonesia.
presence in the People’s Council turned aristocratic gentry (priyayi) to santri. nationalist groups continued under In the Soeharto’s era when the regime’s
to disappointment when the motions it Consequently, nationalist groups Soekarno. However, the debates during policies tended to restrict Muslim politics,
addressed to the Dutch government were experienced a marginalization of their Soekarno’s era could be ended by Muslim’s young leaders managed to
rejected. This disappointment deepened political role. forcing the Islamists groups to accept circumvented them by formulating a new
when the Dutch detained Tjokroaminoto, the government’s decision to restore political strategy.
which indirectly prevented him to remain The politics of Muslims in Indonesia the 1945 Constitution through the 1959
in the People’s Council. Since the SI continued to experience ups and A political transformation took place in
expressed its dissatisfaction with the downs. In the preparation era before presidential decree. Under Soekarno, order to temper the hostile relationships
Guided Democracy was in force and the
Dutch government’s policies and had Indonesian Independence, Muslim’s Masjumi was disbanded, hence the only between Islam and the state. By not
taken more radical political measures by political roles suffered. Both the BPUPKI turning Islamic parties into the sole
adopting a non-cooperative stance. In and PPKI, institutions established to Islamic party to survive was the NU party. objective of the Muslims’ struggle,
the course of SI’s political adventures, prepare Indonesian Independence, The New Order regime pursued they began to pay attention to other,
it started to decline because of internal accommodated the political currents an almost similar policy towards neglected social and intellectual fields.
conflicts. In general, the Dutch policies of Islamic, nationalist, and socialist Muslim political movements. Under From then on, Muslim activists began to

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