NU, Muhammadiyah call on govt to prioritize national interest

Antara News, Saturday, December 19, 2009 20:35 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s two largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, isued a joint statement on Saturday calling on the government and all elements of the nation to prioritize the national rather than political interests.

The statement was signed by NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi and Muhammadiyah chief Din Syamsuddin, after a meeting which was also attended by members of the two organizations` central executive boards.

In their statement, issued on the occasion of the Islamic New Year and read out by Muhammadiyah secretary general Rozak Saleh, the two organizations noted that the nation was facing a lot of problems, particularly in regard to law enforcement which were difficult to solve because there was a strong tendency of certain personal and group interests having to be protected.

"The fact is various problems faced by the nation seem to be difficult to solve," Rozak said quoting the statement.

Rozak said the two organizations believed, if the personal and group interests involved were relatively small, the problems currently faced by the nation would not be so difficult to solve.

Therefore, the government, in the first 100 days of its term, must develop the political will to build good and clean governance and set an example to the people, the statement said.

"All its potentials, energy and commitment must be directed to building Indonesia as an advanced, just, prosperous, respected and sovereign country to achieve the ideals of independence," it said.

On the occasion, NU and Muhammadiyah also agreed to take up again its initiative to create a national anti-corruption movement which in the past was responded to by the government with the establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

According to Hasyim, the establishment of the KPK was not fully what NU and Muhammadiyah had intended. What the two organizations envisaged at the time was a national movement led personally by the President in its strategy and in taking comprehensive steps.

"Corruption in Indonesia has become a problem too big to be fought by a commission. It must be dealt with through a national movement led directly by the president. So far, what has been done is merely catching corrupters but not eradicating corruption," Hasyim said.

Hasyim called for the launching of a movement promoting "halal living" that covered wider aspects of national life and defined corruption as more than just acts that cause financial losses to the state.

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