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Consultation meeting   now under the Supreme Court, with no   even seen to be politically related to   led to the implementation of exclusive   Kopkamtib sorted out the candidates of
 of Indonesian Islamic   exception for religious courts, which   the spread of the idea of   Pan-Islamism   pilgrimage packages known as the ONH   the political parties and disqualified 20
 scholars in Pondok   were originally under the authority of the   that was feared to arouse Muslim   Plus program. However, the problem   percent they considered the rulers could
 36
 Pesantren Cipasung,   Ministry of Religious Affairs.  resistance to the Dutch East Indies.    of organizing the pilgrimage persisted   not trust. In some regions Muslim leaders
 Tasikmalaya, West Java  For this reason, the colonial government   hence the reissuance of the law on hajj   were intimidated to vote for the Golkar,
 The unification of the religious courts
 Source: Pondok   into judicial bodies under the Supreme   even planned to prohibit Muslims from   organization by the government as Law   a situation that had also occurred before
                                                                   39
 Pesantren Cipasung   Court had some consequences. Firstly,   performing the hajj because it might   no. 17/1999, which was complemented   the general election.  The 1971 election
 it was clear that it was aimed at the   only turn the natives into fanatics. Thus,   by a revision that resulted in Law no.   was thus like a war between Islamists
          13/2008, which reaffirmed the principles
                                                 and the government’s secular factions.
 the Dutch colonial authorities strictly
 explicit separation of executive and   supervised there religious activities and   and the organizers of the implementation   The Golkar emerged as the victor of
 judicative power, which previously at   installed a special superintendent in the   of the hajj.  the election by gaining 62.8 percent of
 some points had looked blurred. With   Dutch consulates in Jeddah and Cairo. 37  the total votes (65.6 percent of the total
 this clear separation, state institutions   The Indonesian Ulama Council   number of parliamentary seats), while
 were expected to become increasingly   After independence, the administration   (MUI)  the representatives of Islam only the NU
 conducive more democratic and   of the pilgrimage was given in the hands   Party, could collect, 18.7 percent of the
 transparent structure. Secondly, it   of the Ministry of Religious Affairs,   As mentioned earlier, in the early days   votes. 40
 aimed to further consolidate the position   although in 1950 the private sector was   of the New Order, the regime was not
 of the judiciary, especially regarding   also allowed to be involved through the   in favor of Islamic political power. The   The distrust of the regime’ to Islamic
 the strengthening of formal, legal and   issuance of the Letter of the Minister of   disbandment of the biggest Islamic   politics became stronger after the New
 technical proceedings. Thirdly, as defined   Religious Affairs of the United States of   political party, Indonesian Muslims   Order government issued its policy to
                                                                                    41
 by article 2 of Law no. 3/2006, this   the Republic of Indonesia no. 3170. In   Consultative Assembly (Masjumi) under   merge political parties in January 1973.
 separation turned religious courts into   practice, not the Ministry of Religious   Soekarno, did not necessarily mean that   Thus, to control national politics, only
 one of the judicial authorities for Muslims   Affairs handled the hajj directly but   the power of political Islam had been   three participants, namely Golkar, the
 who seek justice in specific ‘Islamic’   rather the Hajj Committee. In 1964,   tamed, at least not in the eyes of the New   Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI,
 cases. Hence, the religious courts’   finding solutions to the problem of pilgrim   Order government. So ahead of 1971   which was an merger of the nationalist
 authority changed as it has become   transportation was the background for   election, Soeharto ordered Ali Murtopo,   and Christian parties), and the United
          Amir Mahmud, and the chief commander
 more extensive and include tribunal   the issuance of Presidential Decree   of the Kopkamtib to ensure that Golkar   Development Party (PPP, a fusion of
 disputes on alms giving, charities, and   no. 122/1964and the establishment of   38  the Islamic parties, especially Parmusi
 the Shari‘a economy. 35  PT. Arafat in the same year to provide   would win the election.  Murtopo was   and the NU) would compete in the next
 shipping for the pilgrims. In 1979, PT.   asked to interfere in the election of   general election. At the same time, the
 Meanwhile, the centrality of the hajj   Arafat was declared bankrupt, so the   the PNI leadership. Meanwhile, the   intimidation of Muslims leaders in the
 administration had since the Dutch   government obviated the pilgrimage by   leadership of Parmusi, one of the Islamic   regions persisted. The regime seemed
 colonial time been seriously felt. In   ship. The Government again became the   parties, should be put in the hands of   to think that in the race for state political
 the colonial era, the pilgrimage was   pilgrimage’s direct organizer. The 1980s   a person Soeharto could trust. The   leadership Islamic power was its main



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