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even seen to be politically related to
422 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives
government obviated the pilgrimage by asked to interfere in the election of
the spread of the idea of Pan-Islamism ship. The Government again became the
that was feared to arouse Muslim pilgrimage’s direct organizer. The 1980s
resistance to the Dutch East Indies. led to the implementation of exclusive
36
For this reason, the colonial government pilgrimage packages known as the ONH
even planned to prohibit Muslims from Plus program. However, the problem
performing the hajj because it might of organizing the pilgrimage persisted
only turn the natives into fanatics. Thus, hence the reissuance of the law on hajj
the Dutch colonial authorities strictly organization by the government as Law
supervised there religious activities and no. 17/1999, which was complemented
installed a special superintendent in the by a revision that resulted in Law no.
Dutch consulates in Jeddah and Cairo. 37 13/2008, which reaffirmed the principles
After independence, the administration and the organizers of the implementation
of the pilgrimage was given in the hands of the hajj.
of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, The Indonesian Ulama Council
although in 1950 the private sector was (MUI)
also allowed to be involved through the
issuance of the Letter of the Minister of As mentioned earlier, in the early days
Religious Affairs of the United States of of the New Order, the regime was not
the Republic of Indonesia no. 3170. In in favor of Islamic political power. The
practice, not the Ministry of Religious disbandment of the biggest Islamic
Affairs handled the hajj directly but political party, Indonesian Muslims
rather the Hajj Committee. In 1964, Consultative Assembly (Masjumi) under
finding solutions to the problem of pilgrim Soekarno, did not necessarily mean that
transportation was the background for the power of political Islam had been
the issuance of Presidential Decree tamed, at least not in the eyes of the New
no. 122/1964and the establishment of Order government. So ahead of 1971
PT. Arafat in the same year to provide election, Soeharto ordered Ali Murtopo,
shipping for the pilgrims. In 1979, PT. Amir Mahmud, and the chief commander
Arafat was declared bankrupt, so the of the Kopkamtib to ensure that Golkar
38
36. Noer 1980, Gerakan Modern Islam. See also would win the election. Murtopo was
Suminto 1985, Politik Islam. 38. M.C. Ricklefs 2008, Sejarah Indonesia Modern
37. Suminto 1985, Politik Islam. 1200-2008, (Jakarta: Serambi), p. 615-617.
Thus, to control national politics, only
the PNI leadership. Meanwhile, the three participants, namely Golkar, the
leadership of Parmusi, one of the Islamic Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI,
parties, should be put in the hands of which was an merger of the nationalist
a person Soeharto could trust. The and Christian parties), and the United
Kopkamtib sorted out the candidates of Development Party (PPP, a fusion of
the political parties and disqualified 20 the Islamic parties, especially Parmusi
percent they considered the rulers could and the NU) would compete in the next
not trust. In some regions Muslim leaders general election. At the same time,
were intimidated to vote for the Golkar, the intimidationof Muslims leaders
a situation that had also occurred before in the regions persisted. The regime
the general election. The 1971 election seemed to think that in the race for state
39
was thus like a war between Islamists political leadership Islamic power was
and the government’s secular factions. its main rival. Soeharto himself actually
The Golkar emerged as the victor of did not dismiss the potential of the
the election by gaining 62.8 percent of ulamasand the great powerthey had in
the total votes (65.6 percent of the total the community. Therefore, he called on
number of parliamentary seats), while some Muslim elites to back him and to
the representatives of Islam only the NU support his policies.
Party, could collect, 18.7 percent of the Soeharto took the initiative to form an
votes. 40
The distrust of the regime’ to Islamic institution where religious scholars
politics became stronger after the New could meet. It was proposed for the
Order government issued its policy to first time during a national conference
merge political parties in January 1973. in 1970 of the Indonesian Islamic
41
Propagation Center (Pusat Dakwah
39. Mochammad Nur Ichwan 2005, “Ulama, Islam Indonesia, PDII) an organization
State and Politics: Majelis Ulama Indonesia after
Suharto”, Islamic Law and Society, vol. 21, no. 1: founded by the Ministry of Religious
47; Ricklefs 2008, Sejarah Indonesia Modern, p. Affairs. The proposal not only garner
616. positive responses, but also led to
40. Ricklefs 2008, Sejarah Indonesia Modern, p.
617. Indonesian Muslims to wonder if the
41. Ricklefs 2008, Sejarah Indonesia Modern, h regime’s intent was nothing just another
617. strategy to destroy Islamic political
Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 423