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rominent Muslim organization Muhammadiyah is set to open on Saturday its centennial congress,
its highest decision making forum, during which it will elect a new chairman for the next five-year-term.

The organization’s two-day tanwir meeting, the second-highest forum after the congress, on Monday finished selecting 39 candidates for the 13-member central board of executives.

Only members of the board are eligible to run for chairman of the organization, which is the second-largest of its kind in the country after Nahdlatul Ulama. The chairman will be decided on Wednesday.

Of the 39 candidates, Muhammadiyah’s deputy chairman Haedar Nashir gained the most votes — 150 — followed by the organization’s chairman Din Syamsudin and deputy chairman Yunahar Ilyas, who both received 148.

Other elected candidates included Nation’s Sun Party (PMB) chairman Imam Addaruqutni, who won 98 votes, and Gerindra Party’s Muchdi PR — who is a Muhammadiyah member and a former deputy head of the State Intelligence Agency. He won 80 votes.

Muchdi became a controversial figure when he was implicated in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib in 2004.

The election committee’s secretary, Budi Setiawan, said the tanwir meeting had involved 188 participants. Of the 188 members, 166 were allowed to vote, he said.

Responding to the results, Din said he had no problem with being re-elected as Muhammadiyah chairman.

“There’s no need to feel bad about this. Everyone should be ready [for any result], mentally and physically,” he said, adding that Muhammadiyah was a collective by nature and that the organization’s programs did not depend on any one person.

On Saturday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is on a minor haj pilgrimage, will open the congress, which will run until July 8, via video conference from Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The technology was tested Friday in Medina to ensure there would be no hitches during the address scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday.

Several Muhammadiyah members have tried to oppose the video conference, which was proposed
by the President, because Yudhoyono has shown signs of disliking the organization’s present leadership.

Din called on members and supporters of the organization not to overreact to such rumors, saying Yudhoyono’s absence would not detract from the congress.

“We have to give the President our highest appreciation because the different dimensions of space and time have not stopped him from officially opening the congress,” he said.

The congress will be held simultaneously with the congresses of Muhammadiyah’s women’s wing — Aisyiyah — and the youth wing of the organization — the Association of Muhammadiyah Students (IPM). Together, the three congresses are expected to draw 6,000 members.