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Race starts for Muhammadiyah leadership
All set: Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin (right) puts in his vote on Saturday as the countryâs second-largest Muslim organization is set to elect a new chair at the national congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi
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All set: Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin (right) puts in his vote on Saturday as the countryâs second-largest Muslim organization is set to elect a new chair at the national congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi.(Antara/Bariawan Abhe) (right) puts in his vote on Saturday as the countryâs second-largest Muslim organization is set to elect a new chair at the national congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi.(Antara/Bariawan Abhe)
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span class="inline inline-center">All set: Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin (right) puts in his vote on Saturday as the country's second-largest Muslim organization is set to elect a new chair at the national congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi.(Antara/Bariawan Abhe)
The country's second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, held a plenary session on Saturday in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to select a short list of 39 candidates to replace outgoing chairman Din Syamsuddin.
Candidates on the short list will be picked from 82 senior Muhammadiyah members who have registered for the race to replace Din, who has been at the helm of the organization since 2005.
Muhammadiyah Youth Association head Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said that 204 members held a muktamar (internal discussion) at the venue of the congress to decide who would be on the list.
'Selection is still ongoing. Tomorrow the 39 names will be announced,' Dahnil said on Saturday night.
The candidates being scrutinized by the meeting participants included former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Busyro Muqoddas, Malang Muhammadiyah University rector Muhadjir Effendy, Muhammadiyah leadership board member Yunahar Ilyas, Muhammadiyah treasurer Zamroni, Muhammadiyah secretary-general Agung Danarto, Muhammadiyah Youth Association head Sukriyanto AR and Muhammadiyah secretary Abdul Mu'ti.
The names of the 39 candidates will then be presented at a plenary meeting during which 2,500 congress participants will cast their votes. The candidates will fill in the 13 vacant seats on Muhammadiyah's central board.
After participants select 13 people for Muhammadiyah's central board, the elected officials will then hold a closed-door meeting to appoint one of them to take the helm of Muhammadiyah from 2015 to 2020. If no agreement is reached, the 13 members will hold a vote.
Strategic issues to be deliberated were also discussed during the muktamar.
In his speech to open a tanwir meeting, Din said the upcoming muktar (chairman) would formulate strategic programs that would affect about 35 million Muhammadiyah members across the country.
'Muhammadiyah will prioritize programs in fields like humanity in national and international state of affairs,' Din said.
Muhammadiyah will officially kick of its 47th muktamar on Aug. 3, with the theme Enlightenment for a Progressive Indonesia.
The term 'Progressive Indonesia' was taken from Muhammadiyah's long-standing concept of an Islam Berkemajuan (Progressive Islam).
'You could say that Islam Berkemajuan is a vision of a modern and moderate Islam. The concept was coined by Muhammadiyah founder KH Ahmad Dahlan,' Din said.
'[Progressive Islam] was not designed by Muhammadiyah specifically for Muslims in Indonesia but for all people in the world from all walks of life. This concept also deepens our tolerance for others by putting emphasis on Islam as a moderate religion.'
Din further said that Muhammadiyah was currently focusing on tackling issues related to water shortages and agrarian reform.
Muhammadiyah has filed judicial reviews with the Constitutional Court to challenge regulations on the management of water resources that violate the Constitution.
Din added that Muhammadiyah should also pay attention to the problem of land reform as the current system sidelined the poor. Muhammadiyah should consider unequal access to land one of the most pressing issues to focus on, he said.
