Masyumi Party Raised, PDIP: Welcome, Hopefully Strengthens Unity

Masjumi Party logo (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

JAKARTA - PDI Perjuangan welcomes the re-birth of the Masyumi Party which was dissolved decades ago. PDIP will even place the presence of a new party as a partner in democracy and a partner in nation-building as long as they accept Pancasila as the basis and ideology of the state.

"We will welcome the presence of any new socio-political forces, both mass organizations and political parties throughout the process of being founded and the objectives of political struggle are in accordance with the principles of a state which has become the national consensus of the Indonesian nation, namely accepting Pancasila as the basis and state ideology, the 1945 Constitution as the state constitution, NKRI as the final form of the state, and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika as the slogan and social system of the Indonesian nation along with other regulations governing the life of mass organizations and political parties in Indonesia, "said Chairman of the PDI-P DPP Ahmad Basarah in a written statement, Monday, November 9.

PDI Perjuangan, he continued, will place new political parties as a form of creativity of the national elements and strive to make them partners so that the quality of democracy in Indonesia will be healthier. As long as the new party, including the Masyumi Party, continues to implement the prevailing ethics and laws.

"However, it must remain within the corridor of ethics and applicable laws in accordance with the principles of democracy and nomocracy that we have adopted together," he said.

If the principles of democracy and nomocracy are carried out simultaneously, the Deputy Chairperson of the MPR RI believes that the democratic path that has been currently chosen will be able to lead the country to its goal of building welfare and social justice for all people. So, Basarah hopes that in the future the Masyumi Party can further strengthen the spirit of unity and integrity in Indonesian society.

"Welcome to the new Masyumi Party, hopefully it will further strengthen the spirit of unity and integrity for the sake of the glory of the Indonesian nation and state in the future," he said.

Previously, the Masyumi Party declaration was held at the Da'wah Council Building, Central Jakarta on Saturday, November 7 yesterday. The reading of the declaration was led by A. Cholil Ridwan, the Head of the Preparatory Efforts of the Islamic Ideological Party (BPU-PPII).

"We, the undersigned, declare the reactivity of the Indonesian Islamic Political Party called 'Masyumi'," Cholil said in a virtual declaration as quoted from CNNIndonesia.

In this declaration, the Masyumi Party promised to fight for the sake of implementing Islamic teachings and law in Indonesia through Masyumi. In addition, they also announced the candidates for the Masyumi Party Syuro Council.

The candidates for the Syuro Council include; former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Adviser Abdullah Hehamahua, former Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban, MUI Wasekjen Tengku Zulkarnain, Cultural observer Ridwan Saidi, to Kiai Abdul Rosyid Syafei.

Masyumi was originally declared in 1945. This party was an association of various Islamic organizations in various regions in Indonesia during the Japanese colonial period such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, Perti, PSII and others. They were allowed to revive the Indonesian A'la Islamic Council (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.

This party 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.

Furthermore, in 1960, President Soekarno once banned the Masyumi Party. The regime at that time accused this party of protecting the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI).

Soekarno then issued Presidential Decree No. 200 of 1960 dated 17 August 1960 to dissolve this party. Subsequently, on September 13, 1960, the Masyumi Central Executive declared that the Masyumi Party was dissolved.