The Indonesian political landscape is witnessing maneuvers to win the votes of followers of Islamic ideologies, estimated to number in the tens of millions among members and supporters, in preparation for the legislative and presidential elections on February 14th of this year. Negotiations are underway, and alliances are being formed at a rapid pace.
Historically, the Islamic parties have garnered varying percentages of votes in previous legislative elections, with figures reaching 40.83% in 1955, 36.78% in 1999, 38.35% in 2004, 28.62% in 2009, 31.41% in 2014, and 30.05% in the latest elections in 2019.
Different alliances and candidates are competing to win the votes of followers of Islamic ideologies in Indonesia.
Three Alliances
Islamic parties or those with a historical religious background are distributed among three alliances formed to contest the legislative and presidential elections. One of these alliances is the “Change for Unity” alliance, which advocates for economic, legal, political, and service reforms. Anies Baswedan, the former governor of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, is a candidate running under this alliance.
This alliance comprises three Islamic parties:
- The opposition “Justice and Welfare Party,” which has been critical during the current president Joko Widodo’s term.
- Additionally, the “Renaissance Party of the Nation,” representing significant sects of the Nahdatul Ulama movement.
- The third small Islamic party, “Ummah Party,” with a recent establishment, criticizing the current situation and having ties to the former chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly and the former president of the Muhammadiyah Association, Amin Rais.
These three parties are allied with the National Democratic Party, led by Surya Paloh, a former part of the ruling coalition but diverged at the time of presidential candidacy nominations.
On the other hand, the Progress of Indonesia alliance includes the “National Trust Party” historically connected to the Muhammadiyah Association but now represents a more open party accommodating various views. The “Indonesian People’s Wave” party, founded by prominent politicians Anis Matta and Fakhri Hamzah, is participating in elections for the first time. The “Crescent and Star Party,” a historically limited presence party.
Each alliance aims to have a religiously inclined party to win the votes of conservatives and traditionalists, both in rural and urban areas.
It is evident that there are no longer pure alliances for nationalist, leftist, or secular factions; rather, they now carry religious or Islamic inclinations, particularly with the simultaneous organization of legislative and presidential elections.
Every political faction needs votes from other groups to succeed in the presidential elections, necessitating presidential candidates and their allies to form diverse alliances based on various influences and power bases. This means that the votes of Islamic individuals will be distributed according to these parties and the inclinations of prominent Islamic figures supporting specific candidates.
The Indonesian political parties, including the Islamic ones, have become more flexible and pragmatic in their approaches to gain votes from various factions.
Variability Among Islamists
According to Dr. Fermin Noor, Director of the Political Research Center at the Indonesian Research and Creativity Institution, the followers of movements such as Nahdatul Ulama and the Islamic Renaissance are highly sought after by different alliances and candidates, each attempting to sway them. There is also internal competition among leaders of the same faction, as seen with the Islamic Renaissance, where some leaders attempt to direct their followers towards specific candidates.
Candidates are reaching out to religious institutions to attract votes from their followers and leaders. However, it’s challenging for a particular candidate to win the entirety of the Islamic Renaissance votes due to the diverse political inclinations of its leaders and followers.
The Muhammadiyah, the second largest Islamic association, has not explicitly declared support for a party or candidate, implying that its followers’ votes could be divided among several parties, including Justice and Welfare, the National Trust, United Development, and the Ummah Party, which recently saw affiliations from the Muhammadiyah movement.
Increasing Pragmatism
While some figures from the Muhammadiyah helped establish the National Trust Party in 1998 based on a recommendation from the Muhammadiyah advisory council, maintaining the independence of Muhammadiyah as a social organization is crucial. The current leaders of the National Trust Party do not define themselves as a party for Muhammadiyah but rather as an extremely open party.
Dr. Fermin Noor notes that Indonesian parties, including the religious ones, have become more adaptable and pragmatic. He mentions that Islamic parties aim to gain parts of the nationalist vote, while nationalist parties seek to connect with Islamic factions. Nationalist parties no longer advocate for secularism but rather utilize approaches described as religious nationalism.
This political flexibility and pragmatism can be somewhat positive for democracy, promoting understanding and inclusivity in a diverse country. However, the lack of ideological commitment could lead to unchecked pragmatism, potentially compromising ethical principles.
Lack of Unified Agenda
According to Khairul Salim bin Sabri, Director of the Center for Islamic and Social Studies in Jakarta, Indonesia, there is no unified political agenda among Islamic voters. Some are affiliated with associations, while others are not aligned with any specific faction.
The political agendas within Islamic societal organizations are internally diverse due to the abundance of groups like the Islamic Union, Khairat, Guidance, Renaissance of the Nation, Wasliyah, Islamic Unity, Hidayatullah, and many others with decades-long histories.
He suggests that political issues within the Islamic community have continuously evolved, and currently, there is no clear Islamic political agenda discussed explicitly by specific presidential candidates. The focus remains on democracy and common public issues rather than agendas emphasizing state Islamization or Sharia law.
In conclusion, while there is more political fluidity among Islamic politicians in Indonesia, the presence of a clear, unified political agenda is absent. Political speeches by candidates rarely touch on Islamic statehood or Sharia aspects, as they are aware that such rhetoric may not be favorable for winning votes. The political discourse tends to gravitate towards democracy and shared public concerns rather than specific Islamic political ideologies. The political landscape highlights a more fluid approach among Islamic politicians, albeit without a fully consolidated agenda.
