There Is No Name For Din Syamsudin And 212 Figures In MUI, Considered As Cleaning-up Efforts

Miftachul Akhyar (BETWEEN)

JAKARTA - A number of members of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in the 2015-2020 period who are at odds with the administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) are no longer in the board of directors for the 2020-2025 period.

Names such as Din Syamsudin and a number of other figures such as Bahtiar Nasir, Yusuf Martak, and Tengku Zulkarnain who had been affiliated with the 212 movement were no longer included in the ranks of the new MUI management structure.

Responding to this, a political observer from Al-Azhar University Ujang Komarudin assessed that efforts to clean up the MUI by figures who often criticize the government do appear to be happening. However, he thought this was indeed a common thing to do.

"In politics, it is normal for people to step aside. There could be an operation to clean up people who are critical of the government. People who are opposed to the government are cleaned up," said Ujang when contacted by VOI, Friday, November 27. .

It's just that he regrets if this is really the motive behind the formation of the new MUI structure because MUI should not be too close to power or government.

However, Ujang's hopes could be far from being burned. Given, the Chairman of the MUI Advisory Council for the period 2020-2025 Ma'ruf Amin was the vice president in the era of President Joko Widodo's second term.

He also assessed that MUI should also embrace people who are critical of the government, including the 212 group. This is aimed at making this institution more dynamic and able to shelter anyone without exception.

"MUI should actually embrace 212 groups and critical people. In order for MUI to be dynamic and for MUI to become a shelter for figures who promote Islam which is a blessing for all," he said.

"If critical people are thrown away. Then how can MUI be critical of the government," he added.

He considered that Ma'ruf Amin's retention in the position of the MUI Advisory Council also hinted at MUI's conditioning. This is intended so that this institution does not issue loud voices to criticize the government.

In line with Ujang, Executive Director of the Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) Dedi Kurniasyah also considered that Ma'ruf was in the position of the advisory council as an indication that the government was trying to make conditioning.

So he regretted the existence of Ma'ruf in that position. "It is unfortunate that the vice president is appointed as the advisory council," said Dedi.

"The MUI should have been separated from the authorities so that the ulama's decision would not be interfered with by the authorities," he added.

Previously reported, Rais Aam, the Executive Board of Nahdatul Ulama (NU) Miftachul Akhyar was appointed as the General Chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for the 2020-2025 period replacing Ma'ruf Amin who is currently the Vice President.

This determination was produced by the MUI X National Deliberation Formation team (Munas), whose meetings were held behind closed doors.

In addition to establishing Miftachul Akhyar, this formation also appointed Amirsyah as Secretary General of MUI replacing Buya Anwar Abbas. Meanwhile Buya Anwar Abbas, Marsyudi Suhud, and Buya Basri Bermanda were appointed as deputy chairmen.

According to the Chairman of the Formation Team for Munas X MUI, Ma'ruf Amin, the results agreed at the meeting should not be contested. This is because the results of this meeting went through a good process.

"The atmosphere was very fluid, not tough. So, thank God, the meeting resulted in a decision from the daily board and the advisory council. The results must not be contested," said Ma'ruf as quoted in a written statement, Friday, November 27.

Furthermore, this formation team also appointed Vice President Ma'ruf Amin as Chair of the MUI Advisory Council for the 2020-2025 period. Ma'ruf then brought several MUI daily administrators in the previous period.

The two names of the Deputy Chairmen of the MUI for the 2015-2020 period, namely Buya Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi and Muhyiddin Junaidi were chosen by the Deputy Chairperson of the MUI Advisory Council 2020-2025.

Not only that, there is another name from the previous period who is now serving in the advisory council as deputy secretary to accompany the Secretary of the MUI Advisory Council Dadang Kahmad.

They are Maman Abdurrahman who previously served as Head of Research and Studies and Zaitun Rasmin who was previously the deputy secretary of MUI for Islamic brotherhood and foreign relations.