Some Yogyakarta residents have expressed discontent at Sultan Hamengku Bawono X'€™s recent sabda raja (royal statement) and dhawuh raja (royal order), saying that he has violated their traditions.

'€œThe sultan should pay attention to history, especially the title of the Yogyakarta special region and the deeds of the kraton [palace],'€ said Subhan Nawawi, the commander of Bantul regency'€™s Laskar Santri, and NGO, on Tuesday.

Since the establishment of the palace, the ruler has always been male because in the Javanese palace tradition, bobot (quality), bibit (origin) and bebet (rank), are associated with the male lineage.

Subhan added that the sabda raja on April 30, which dropped the title of '€œKhalifatullah King'€ would meet with criticism, especially from the Muslim community, because the palace also played an important role in Islamic religious outreach, or dakwah.

Therefore, he said, besides a ruler, the sultan was the religious leader, or imam, of the people.

'€œAn imam should be male,'€ Subhan pointed out.

The Mataram Nahdliyin Community has also rejected the sultan'€™s decisions by holding a tirakatan prayer gathering at the Senopati Panembahan Mausoleum in Kotagede,Yogyakarta.

The group opposed the sabda raja because it said the title of '€œRaja Abdurrahman Sayyidin Panatagama Khafilatullah'€ for Yogyakarta sultans was only suitable for males and was part of a tradition.

'€œThe title is a tradition, which is part and parcel of the existence of the Mataram kraton,'€ said Mataram Nahdliyin Community coordinator Muhammad Alfuniam, better known as Kang Niam.

Kang Niam added the title was a form of recognition that the Mataram Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat kraton was the successor of an Islamic kingdom sociologically, historically and spiritually.

'€œWe will also hold a tirakatan gathering and Islamic Mataram kraton ceremonial meal and hopefully the palace, especially the sultan, will not neglect history and tradition,'€ Kang Niam said on Tuesday.

Besides changing his title, the sultan also changed the title of the eldest of his five daughters, giving her the new title of Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Mangkubumi Hamemayu Hayuning Bawono.

Observers viewed that the sultan'€™s decision was made to make way for Mangkubumi to become the sultan'€™s heir, as he had no sons.

Despite going against the royal statement and order, however, Subhan and Kang Niam said all matters related to the palace leadership succession were the right of the palace alone.

'€œThe succession is an internal matter of the palace and we will not interfere because we have no right,'€ said Kang Niam.

Public dissatisfaction is also evident from the substantial number of protest banners installed along various streets around the Yogyakarta Palace, such as on Jl. Ibu Ruswo, Pasar Ngasem and the Gondomanan intersection.

On Jl. Kauman, residents located near the kraton also reminded the sultan of palace regulations and traditions.

Kampong Kauman, located next to North Keraton Square, was where K.H. Ahmad Dahlan founded Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim organization in Indonesia.

'€œWe raised the banner as a part of our protest against the sultan, who we regard has having breached palace regulations,'€ said Kauman elder Muhammad Muslih.

The sultan'€™s brothers earlier rejected the decision. None of the brothers attended the procession of sabda raja on April 30 and dhawuh raja on May 5.

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