SPOTLIGHT
diverse ethnic and religious groups that are a part of this large
Archipelago. The 2019 election is a testimony of Indonesia
resolve towards remaining on the path moving to ensure the
realisation of a liberal democratic order. And even though, there
remain concerns on the increasing Islamisation in the political
sphere, the victory of secular parties such as the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle, the Great Indonesian Movement
Party (Gerindra) – which is the largest opposition party after the
2014 elections – would ensure that the issue of Islam would not
become the basis for the voting by the Indonesian electorate.
But rather issues of development, growth, stability, and the
unity maintained through the ongoing democratic consolidation
of the Republic would remain crucial.
syncretism. Though the Muslim majority in Indonesia is not
in favour of violence and radical Islam, it is also not totally
against the idea of pursuing a purer version of their religion.
[8] In the 2019 Indonesian Presidential elections, we fi nd the
incumbent President Jokowi nominating Ma’ruf Amin as his
Vice President Nomine, as a result of electoral compulsion.
Mr Amin, who has been the chairman of Indonesia’s Ulama
Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, or MUI), the semi-offi cial
umbrella organization of Islamic group since 2007, and the
supreme leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama – Indonesia’s largest
mass Muslim organization – since 2015;[9] it raises concerns
on the growing Islamisation of the Republic. Although,
many analysts argued that Amin won’t likely win President
Jokowi any additional votes. However, by bringing him as
his running mate, the incumbent has been able to cement his
support amongst the conservative Islamic community, and
also divide the so-called 212 Movement. This movement
formed by the conservative coalition was setting its sights on
stopping Jokowi’s re-election by terming him as ‘Un-Islamic’
and a closet communist.[10]
It remains to be seen, how Indonesia, as it continues to
grow in its democratic path, manages to maintain the secularity
of the Republic as envisioned by its founding fathers. After
the fall of Suharto in May 1998, the Reformasi movement in
Indonesia voiced strong support for the conduct of an early
election. Given Indonesia’s long authoritarian history, the
elections of 1999 for the very fi rst time provided legitimacy to
the newly elected legislators, by empowering them to begin the
full course of constitutional reforms. The idea to put elections
before completing Indonesia’s Constitutional reform was
done to ensure the inclusion and participation of all entities
and groups, which were averse to the idea of democratisation.
The incorporation of a competitive process for the elections
of the legislators and the head of the Republic, helped set the
right path towards democratic consolidation, by including the
Refernces:
[1]“Election in Indonesia”, Facts and Details, 2015,
http://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/Government_Military_
Crime/sub6_5a/entry-4062.html, (Accessed on March 11,
2019.
[2] Douglas E. Ramage, Politics in Indonesia: Democracy,
Islam and the Ideology of Tolerance, (Routledge: London,
1995), p.14.
[3] Rizal Sukma, Islam in Indonesian Foreign Policy,
(Routledge Curzon: London, 2003), p. 3-5
[4] Superintendent Craig Riviere, “The Evolution of
jihadist-Salafi sm in Indonesia, Malaysia and The Philippines,
and its impact on security in Southeast Asia”, Indo-Pacifi c
Strategic papers, The Centre for Defence and Strategic
Studies, Australian Defence College, November 2016, http://
www.defence.gov.au/ADC/Publications/IndoPac/Riviere_
IPSP.pdf, accessed on October 9, 2017.
[5] Rizal Sukma, Islam in Indonesian Foreign Policy,
(Routledge Curzon: London, 2003), p. 3-5.
[6] Douglas E. Ramage, Politics in Indonesia: Democracy,
Islam and the Ideology of Tolerance, (Routledge: London,
1995), p. 17-19.
[7] Douglas E. Ramage, Politics in Indonesia: Democracy,
Islam and the Ideology of Tolerance, (Routledge: London,
1995), p. 43-44.
[8]Vibhanshu Shekhar, Indonesia’s Rise: Seeking Regional
and Global Roles, (Pentagon Press: New Delhi, 2014), p.
156-161.
[9]“Indonesia: Vice Presidential Candidate Has Anti-
Rights Record”, Human Right s Watch, August 10, 2018,
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/10/indonesia-vice-
presidential-candidate-has-anti-rights-record, accessed on
November 29, 2018.
[10]John Macbeth, “Widodo puts Islam front and Centre
ahead of polls”, Asia Times, January 12, 2018, http://www.
atimes.com/article/widodo-puts-islam-front-and-center-
ahead-of-polls/, accessed on January 18, 2018.
* Author is a Research Fellow for Southeast Asia, ICWA
50 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 4 • April-May 2019, Noida