Yusril: Masyumi And Masyumi Only Appeared In The 1999 General Election, The Results Were Not Very Encouraging

Yusril Ihza Mahendra (DOK. BETWEEN PHOTOS)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the emergence of a party with the name Masyumi was not the first time this had occurred since this oldest Islamic party was disbanded in 1960.

According to him, a party with a similar name appeared in 1999 and participated in general elections in the same year, but the party did not get the results they wanted.

"The name Masyumi was reused as the name of the party in the reform era after it was disbanded in 1960 which is not the first time this has happened. In 1999 the name Masyumi was used in a new party and participated in the 1999 elections. Likewise, the name Masyumi Baru was also used and participated in the election 1999. The results were not very encouraging, ”said Yusril as quoted from his written statement to journalists, Monday, November 9.

He assessed that even though the two parties are no longer participating in elections or can be said to be inactive, they may still be registered with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Thus, Masjumi Party declarators need to pay attention to this matter, who just declared the party on Saturday, November 7.

Yusril said he respects the Masyumi Party's declaration, Cholil Ridwan. However, he assessed that the current era has changed and is different from the 1945 to 1960 era when Masjumi existed and was victorious.

According to him, making a party declaration was easy. However, after it was declared, the Masyumi Party which had just been reborn must continue to be managed, nurtured and raised and this was not easy because the current orientation of society had changed.

"The people are no longer divided between sharp ideological differences like in 1945-1960. Society is now even more practical in making political choices. Some are even transactional: 'what are you capable of, how much, and we will determine what our attitude is', "he said.

Despite appreciating the efforts of the new Masyumi declarator, Yusril assessed that Cholil Ridwan and other party leaders would later work hard so that Masyumi could be legalized as a legal entity by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

"He will work hard to build branches and recruit members and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very difficult. This is so that it can be legalized as a legal entity by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights," he said.

Furthermore, if it is declared a legal entity, the Masyumi Party will later be verified again by the General Election Commission (KPU) as a step in order to participate in the 2024 General Election.

Because of that, for Yusril, establishing a new party was difficult. Never mind establishing a new party, Yusril admitted that he was the General Chair of the UN, admitting that he had difficulties in maintaining his party structure.

"Because of that I am actually thinking about how the existing Islamic parties can unite to think that Islamic parties can continue to exist in this Muslim majority country," he said.

"Creating a new party for me is very difficult but hopefully this is not the case for KH Cholil Ridwan and the declarators who with him have declared the re-establishment of Masyumi on November 7," he added.

Previously, after being disbanded decades ago, Masyumi was finally declared again. The Masyumi Party declaration event 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.