Aceh's Ulema Consultative Assembly: Vote for 'Pious' Candidates
Banda Aceh/Malang. Islamic scholars in Aceh called on Muslim voters to vote only for devout Muslim candidates in both legislative and presidential elections, suggesting it was haram, or sinful, to do otherwise.
Aceh's Ulema Consultative Assembly (MPU), a local version of an umbrella ulema group independent from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), issued the an edict, which specified criteria for leaders and lawmakers for whom Muslims should cast their votes.
The criteria said eligible candidates were "believers [who possess] good morals, are honest, just, knowledgeable, wise, responsible, show good mental and physical health, and ensure that the Islamic people's interest come first.
"Those are standard criteria. It is difficult to find candidates who meet the criteria, but surely there are some who come near," MPU chairman Ghazali Mohd Syam told Jakarta Globe on Sunday. "Electing leaders and lawmakers obedient to Allah and who religiously perform mandatory rituals such as salat is an obligation."
He said the criteria were drawn from the Koran and hadeeth, among other sources of Islamic law and fiqh, or jurisprudence.
Failures to vote for candidates who meet these criteria, Ghazali added, will "create problems in the future" by paving way for corrupt leaders.
"Dishonest and irresponsible leaders and lawmakers will cheat and corrupt when they're in power."
He called on Muslim voters to look at candidates' track records and warned them against taking money from candidates. He said that both giving and taking money were forbidden.
In the East Java city of Malang, the local chapter of the MUI called on Muslim voters to exercise their voting rights in upcoming elections, reiterating that being a "golput," the Indonesian term for those who abstain, was haram.
"The call against being 'golput' has been a decision of the MUI, nationally," MUI Malang head Machmud Zubaidi said.
He added his office had held gatherings with local Muslim leaders and public figures, including officials at Islamic boarding schools, to extend the call.
"We held meetings in March," Machmud said. "Their responses were positive; they understood the importance to vote."
He added he understood why many people were reluctant to support any candidate at all, saying politicians had given too many examples of how they could easily abuse power after they were elected.
"But I emphasized with them [Muslim leaders, public figures]: it is nearly impossible to find those who are 100 percent sincere and fit," Machmud said. "But candidates who at least have in them attitudes to create a better future deserve to be voted. Use your heart; don't get tempted with gifts and sweet promises."
Ulema groups in Indonesia used to shun politics, he added, but now they believe it is important to take part in political process such as by voting in elections because it will determine the fate of the nation.
"Loving one's homeland and nation is part of the faith," Machmud said. "So MUI is encouraging people to vote."
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