Page 414 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

enter the bureaucracy and joined Golkar. also rejects secularization. Although
While some considered this approach most Islamic parties are not the
as part of the regime’s cooptation, their dominating forces in parliament, their
success in entering the bureaucracy had roles in the fight for the Muslims’ interests
a significant impact on the process of in Indonesia are quite substantial. The
Islamization within the bureaucracy. reason is that the Muslims’ aspirations
are not only advocated by the Islamic
The contributions of Muslims became parties, but also accommodated by
more and more forceful in this other, nationalist parties that adopted
process of democratic consolidation. Islam as one of their most important
Muslims who struggled through constituing elements. In practice, the
parties consistently supported the Islamic forces in Islamic parties can
democratization process in Indonesia easily cooperate with nationalist parties
by bringing forward the national spirit, within the framework of nationality.
while those who contended through This is moderate Islam in Indonesia as
mass-organizations like the Nahdlatul embodied in both political and cultural
Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Persis, Matlaul movements.
Anwar, and other mass-organizations
continuously encouraged and Muslims in Indonesia have become
strengthened civil society in order to an important force in ensuring
create a more democratic Indonesia. the implementation of democratic
In this era, horizontal conflicts also consolidation. Muslims’ political maturity
decreased. Terrorism still emerged, substantially contributes to the realization
of a democratic Indonesia. It is not
but in general, the government could surprising that Indonesia is cited as one
properly solve them in cooperation with of the most democratic countries in the
the Islamic mass-organizations, including Muslim world.
the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI).

Islamic parties play an important role in
safe guarding democracy in Indonesia.
Indonesian Islam shows two approaches
at the same time; political and cultural.
Islam in Indonesia does not support the
establishment of an Islamic state, but

404 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 405