ISLAM & PLURALISM IN INDONESIA

by DR. Zulkieflimansyah

• Central Question of:

• Impact of increasingly religiosity among Muslims on Indonesia's pluralism?

• Impact of growing heterogeneity within Islam on Indonesia's plural democracy

• Would the reality of political Islam undermine the pluralistic nature of Indonesian society and politics?
  • Case of Islamist Political Parties
  • Case of Shariah-ization of local by-laws

Islam in Indonesia

• Largest Muslim population in a single country - between 86% & 87% of 234 million

• Islam is not indigenous religion

• Arrival through trade (late 13th Century)

• Gradual spread inland

• Diversity within Islam

• Cross-cutting cleavages

• Key characteristic: HETEROGENEITY & INHERENTLY PLURALISTIC i.e. many different strands

• Initial distinction (early 20th Century) between:

* "Abangan" - animists, secular, areligious

* "Santri" - divided between traditionalists (NU) & modernists (Muhammadiyah)

• Diversity within Indonesian Islam has become more complex; Why?

> Islamization process since 1970s:

> greater religiosity among Indonesian Muslims e.g. Hefner's study of Muslims in central Java showed greater adherence to Islamic practices and beliefs

> Globalization/ideational flows from outside

> State's support and encouragement of "cultural Islam" in the 1980s

Muslim in Southeast Asia

• Presence of Islamic/Islamist political parties in Indonesian politics is the new reality

• They will have an impact on government and governance e.g. in 2001 PPP clinched the vice-presidency, PKS leader is speaker of the House; Islamic parties have also scored some victories in parliament e.g. the National Education Bill, Anti-pornography Bill; Issue of introduction of Shariah at local levels

• Whether single Islamic political party or coalition of Islamic political parties can win a significant majority in government remains questionable

• Islamic political parties also face competition for votes, internal problems with organization, party discipline, funding etc

• Have not been able to compete on par with established parties like GOLKAR and PDI-P

• Additional challenge of these parties reaching out to Muslim votes e.g. PDI-P’s “Muslim wing”

• Does this mean Islamic/Islamist political parties are weak? Not necessarily:

• Analysts point to emergence of newer forms of Islamist political parties which have capacity to challenge secular parties e.g. PKS

• Yes, there are incidences where Shariah has been adopted in regions/provinces

• Specific cases in:

• Aceh

• Garut

• Banten/Tangerang

• Yes, in various instances the laws seem to target some segments of the community over others e.g. women and there may be questions about human rights

• However, need to look “beyond the headlines”…

• Each specific case/region is different

• Extent of “shariah-ization” different, even within province

• Inconsistencies in implementation of shariah; no standardization

• Is there a domino effect?

• Local power play as decentralization takes effect

• Mass appeal of religious actions without real understanding of what shariah means

• Lack of capacity of local leaders to provide public services

• Lack of clarity vis-à-vis the centre on implementation of law/ dual-law system

• Growing pains of decentralization?

• PKS upholds fundamental human rights as accorded in Islam, including right to life, justice, access to knowledge and education, sustenance etc.

• PKS upholds rights of women, including right to education, economic well-being, right to modesty, gender equity etc

• Human rights enforcement must begin with basic human right to life, justice & economic well-being

• Focus on building capacity of leaders and followers at the local levels

• Provision of public services

• Economic development/growth

• Strengthening rule of law

• Education – internal to political party as well as in community on Shariah

• STRENGTHNING OVERALL GOVERNANCE CAPACITY

*above paper delivered during the 29th Foundation Course, Institute of Policy Development was attended by participants of the delegation singapore