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Names emerge as potential candidates for Muhammadiyah chairman
The former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas and the Golkar Party politician Hajriyanto Y
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he former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas and the Golkar Party politician Hajriyanto Y. Thohari were mentioned as potential candidates to replace the outgoing Muhammadiyah chairman, Din Syamsuddin.
Commenting on his chance of becoming a Muhammadiyah chairman, Busyro refused to comment. 'I'd rather say: no comment,' he said as quoted by tempo.co in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Busyro said Muhammadiyah had quite a high moral standard and the leadership process in Muhammadiyah had always run naturally. 'Muhammadiyah followers have been rational in selecting who is the best figure they deem suitable to lead the organization,' he said.
Meanwhile, Hajriyanto said he did not have any ambition to become a Muhammadiyah chairman; however, it would be likely difficult for him to reject it if all the muktamar (Muhammadiyah national congress) participants called on him to lead the organization.
'I don't want to be overconfident. I also don't have an ambition [to become the Muhammadiyah chairman],' he said as quoted by Antara. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 47th Muhammadiyah national congress at the Makassar Muhammadiyah University (Unismuh) in Makassar on Wednesday.
Hajriyanto said he had never made use of Muhammadiyah's events for personal gain. 'I have never had ambitions [to lead] my political party [Golkar], let alone my organization [Muhammadiyah],' said the former People's Consultative Assembly speaker.
He also said it was hoped that as an Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah could grow bigger so it could manage its assets more professionally.
On the third day of the congress, Wednesday, Muhammadiyah congress participants were set to select 13 out of 39 names as Muhammadiyah central executive board leaders. Hajriyanto ranks 12th out of 39 names, who are listed as permanent Muhammadiyah members.
Of the 39 names, five figures sitting in the big five positions are Anwar Abbas (Islamic economy expert), Abdul Mu'ti (education expert), Dahlan Rais (education expert), Yunahar Ilyas (Quran teaching expert) and Busyro. They are considered the most likely candidates to be elected as Muhammadiyah's central executive board leaders for the 2015-2020 period.
The other candidates are Agus Taufiqurrahman (health expert), Dadang Kahmad (Islamic sociology expert), Suyatno (expert in education), Haedar Nashir (sociologist) and Alwi Uddin (Islamic education expert). (rad/ebf)(++++)
