Masyumi Dies But His Cadres Are Immortal

Soekarno and Masyumi (Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - At the beginning of Indonesia's independence, we know that there was an Islamic party that had a big political power, namely the Masyumi (Indonesian Muslimin Islamic Council). The party was founded today until 7 November 74 years ago. Even though today the Masyumi party has disbanded, the idea is still alive, the "cadre" is still there.

Masyumi was an association of various Islamic organizations in various regions in Indonesia during the Japanese colonial period. Among them are Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, Perti, PSII and so on. They were allowed to revive Islam A'la Indonesia (MIAI) by the Japanese Army on 4 September 1942.

Then after the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, on November 3, 1945 through Government Declaration No. X, the government recommends forming political parties. So political parties were born and one of them was Masyumi.

Masyumi was founded by several Islamic figures such as Agus Salim, Abdul Kahar Muzakhar, Soekiman Wirosandjojo, Ki Bagus Hadikusumo, Muhammad Natsir and others. According to the Masyumi Articles of Association passed by the KUII in 1945, they have the aim of upholding the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia and the Islamic religion and implementing Islamic ideals in state affairs.

In its membership, Masyumi has two types, namely individuals and core members (organizations). Individual members are at least 18 years old or already married. He who is registered as an individual cadre may not concurrently be a membership of another party. While Individual Members have voting rights, members of the organization (special members) have the right to give advice or advice. The idea of dualism by members is their strategy to increase the number of cadres.

Masjumi's ups and downs

According to Aris Sumanto and Zulkarnain in their writing "The Political Development of the Masyumi Party after the 1955 Election" which was published in the Journal of Historical Education at Yogyakarta State University (2016), from the beginning of Masyumi, this party had shown ups and downs.

In the period 1945-1949, for example, Masjumi party members had succeeded in sitting in the government. Unfortunately, having just got a position in the government, the seeds of division have already occurred. One of his cadres Amir Sjarifuddin formed the Indonesian Islamic Syarikat Party (PSII). This incident then caused rifts in Masjumi circles, although the impact of his exit was not that great.

The re-establishment of PSII was due to the disappointment of some of its politicians in the Masyumi Party who did not get less strategic roles and positions such as Wondoamiseno and Arundji Kartawinata. The Masyumi Party finally agreed to join the cabinet, even though it had previously rejected Amir's policy.

Then in the 1950-1955 period the Masyumi party also showed fluctuating dynamics. In 1952, when the cabinet was led by Wilopo, tensions arose over the exit of NU from Masyumi. The exit of NU was marked by the election of KH Fakih Usman (a Muhamadiyah element in NU) to become Minister of Religion in the Wiloppo cabinet.

Politics continues. Masyumi, who had been left behind by PSII and NU, continued to advance until the 1955 general election. As a result, Masyumi became the party that won the second most votes after PNI.

Finally disbanded

Masyumi's political intrigue after the 1955 election began to taper off. In 1957, for example, when the president wanted to unite the four parties supporting the elections, Masyumi, NU rejected and opposed the involvement of the PKI, because in several previous cabinets there had been debates with the PKI, such as for example Tanjung Morawa.

The rejection had a long tail. Masyumi figures such as Natsir and Sjarifuddin Prawiranegara went to West Sumatra to proclaim the PRRI (Rebels of the Revolution, Republic of Indonesia) on February 15, 1958.

As a result of this rebellion the government took a firm path to stop it. Padang and other cities in West Sumatra were bombed by the government army, as were Manado and several Sulawesi cities. The power of PRRI finally died out.

Meanwhile, according to M. Dzulfikriddin in his book Mohammad Natsir in Indonesian Political History: The Role and Services of Mohammad Natsir in the Two Indonesian Orders (2010) after the rebellion, Masyumi was ostracized. Members of this party were not invited to join Sukarno's DPR-GR.

Soekarno's visit to the Masjumi Congress in 1954 (Commons Wikimedia)

Still according to Mohammad Roem, Sukarno wanted Masyumi to condemn its members who joined PRRI. Masyumi refused. Because of this, Sukarno then thought of disbanding Masyumi. The Indonesian Socialist Party, which blamed and condemned Soemitro Djojohadikusumo and dismissed him from PSI membership, Sukarno continued to disband.

Furthermore, according to M. Dzulfikriddin, on August 17, 1960, Masyumi received a letter from the Director of the Presidential Cabinet, conveying Presidential Decree No. 200/1960. Prawoto Mangkusasmito as the Head of PP Masyumi immediately discussed to take action. On September 13, 1960, PP Masyumi stated that the Masyumi Party was dissolved. The statement was made less than a month since Presidential Decree No. 200/1960 was issued.

So, Masyumi disbanded after the Presidential Decree was issued by the government. According to Delmus Puneri Salim in his book The Transnational and the Local in the Politics of Islam: The Case of West Sumatra Indonesia (2015), Masyumi leaders, Syafruddin and Natsir were imprisoned after being accused of being involved in PRRI and DI / TII.

The cadres are immortal

Even though the Masjumi are gone, they still exist in idea. If traced the ideological cadres are still alive. One of them is an Islamic figure of Arab descent, Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. The man who is usually called Ustaz Abu is the leader of the Indonesian Mujahidin Council and one of the founders of the Al Mu'min Islamic Boarding School.

He is a figure who rejects the pledge of allegiance to the Republic of Indonesia and Pancasila. According to him, apart from the laws of the Koran and hadith, it is taghut. Ba'asyir had the most influential colleague, his name was Adbullah Sungkar, the administrator of al-Irsyad Solo. Together with Sungkar, they made a da'wah radio in Surakarta.

In 1970, Sungkar and Ba'asyir were recruited by M. Natsir who was the head of Masyumi. They were recruited to become leaders of the Solo Branch of the Indonesian Islamic Da'wah Council (DDII). DDII fought a big war in spreading the salafi jihadi ideology to Indonesia.

Another person who has inherited from Masyumi is politician Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Yusril is one of the people who founded the Crescent Star Party (PBB). The party which was initiated by 22 Islamic mass organizations is said to be the heir to the Masyumi Party.

As explained on the partybulanbintang.or.id page, the PBB is supported by the Indonesian Islamic Da'wah Council (DDII). As is well known, DDII is a mass organization founded by the former Chairman of the Masyumi Party, M. Natsir.

Yusril is a person who really idolizes M. Natsir. No doubt Yusril is often referred to as M. Natsir's best student besides the Islamic figure Noercholis Madjid. In fact, Yusril is often referred to as the young Natsir.