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The second recommendation was not believe, this recommendation in with the Muhammadiyah, 7.1 percent). Rejecting Gus Dur’s proposal to abrogate
released in May 1999 and entitled “the essence 1) urged Muslims to choose The winner of the 1999 elections, as the ban on communism and the PKI,
recommendation of the MUI leadership a political party that would fight for the predicted, was the secular party PDIP the MUI issued two recommendations,
for the 1999 election”. The contents had interests of the people, the nation and (33.7 percent), followed by the Golkar which in essence contained a warning to
become more specific. The MUI urged the state. 2) invited Muslims to choose a (22.4 percent). The Golkar, which the Indonesian people that Communist/
the people to use their right to vote political party that seriously nominated had almost been destroyed as it was Marxist-Leninist thoughts were anti-
and to choose the leaders who would Muslim candidates. 3) opposed a return identified with Soeharto’s authoritarian God and anti-religion ideologies aimed
defend the aspirations of all the citizens. of communism, authoritarianism, and regime, seems to have benefitted most to destroy the ethical and religious
Then the MUI invited Muslims to favor a secular government and it aimed at from the MUI’s recommendation. This principles contained in the Pancasila.
the Islamic brotherhood and Islamic discouraging the choice of a political may be because of the majority of its It rejected all attempts to abort MPR
political parties in order to compete for party that had demonstrated that it candidates were Muslims. After all Decree no. 15/1996, and it invited
goodness (fastabiq al-khairat). Lastly, hated Islam. The last call clearly shows Golkar was the oldest party, while the the members of the DPR/MPR to act
the recommendation warned Muslims to the MUI’s call on Muslims to choose Islamic parties were the new – comers. wisely and not to forget the country’s
be vigilant against the latent danger of a political party ready to fight for the miserable past. In its second advice, the
communism and the Communist Party aspirations of the people and the nation During the administration of MUI declared that if the PKI rebellion in
of Indonesia. This recommendation and it instructed Muslims not to vote for Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), the MUI 1965 had succeeded, life in the country,
began to reveal the MUI’s intention to a non-Muslim leader or political party also underwent changes especially in especially for religious communities,
invite Indonesian Muslims to vote for dominated by non-Muslim candidates. its financial administration and in MUI- would have been very hard. So it was
Islam-based political parties and invited The tendency the PDIP, under the government relations. In addition to the important for Indonesians to be aware
Islamic parties not to fight one another. leadership of Megawati Sukarnoputri, consequences of reform, these changes of communisms’ latent danger and it
In the meantime the MUI called on the might win the election. The MUI saw seem to have been inter-related and to suggested the people unite to dispel this
Muslims to be wary of certain groups, this political party was dominated by the have reinforced each other. The MUI threat at all cost.
perhaps also certain political parties, non-Muslim candidates. In the end, distanced itself from the government The MUI’s distancing from the
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which it considered might harm Islam in the MUI’s advice did not significantly because Abdurrahman Wahid’s government and the growing influx
Indonesia. administration had terminated state
boost the vote for Islamic parties. The of clerical institutions into the state-
The third recommendation was issued only Islamic party that gained more than funding. Gus Dur’s proposal to cancel political discourse emerged from a
in June, just a few days ahead of the 5 percent of the total vote in the 1999 the decision to prohibit communism and fatwa presented to the government in
election. From its title, “Instructions to election was the PPP (10.7 percent). the ban of the PKI in force since 1966 2002 against bribery, corruption, and
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Muslims for the 1999 elections”, the Two other parties affiliated with the and to state that it violated Human Rights gratifications. The MUI had actually
MUI seemed to be firm in its advice. Islamic masses despite their acceptation and his proposal to open diplomatic never issued a fatwa on this issue. As
By quoting QS 3: 28 on the prohibition of the Pancasila as their principal basis and economic relations with Israel stated above, initially, the MUI tended
for the faithful to make friends with were the PKB (affiliated with the NU, strengthened the MUI’s distancing from to be silent and even legitimized
or to ask for help from those who do 12.6 percent) and PAN loosely (affiliated the government. government’s policies. In the era

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