Founding of an Islamic Political Party

Sumber :

VIVAnews -  A year after Soeharto was elected acting president of Indonesia in 1967, his popularity among the Islamic masses and elites in the country began to wane.

When the four-star general first came to power in 1966, he relied heavily on the supports of the Islamic figures. However, as he began consolidating his power, Soeharto began to see the Islamic elites as potential threats to his government.

At first, most of the Islamic leaders in Indonesia, especially former members of Masyumi, have expected that their proven anti-communist and opposition to Soekarno regime would allow them to enjoy a preferred position under Soeharto administration

Such expectation, however, proved to be false. The wish of several former leaders of Masyumi to re-establish the party was denied by Soeharto. In fact, the new president forbade all former Masyumi leaders from playing substantial political roles in the country.

On 20 February 1968, to accommodate former members of Masyumi, the government sponsored a new party called Parmusi, Partai Muslimin Indonesia (Muslim Party of Indonesia) was founded.

Despite the involvement of several Masyumi leaders in the new party, Parmusi was created at the instigation of the New Order regime.

The new Islamic party was chaired by Djarnawi Hadikusumo, a Muhammadiyah leader and a member of the Indonesian parliament (MPRS/DPRGR). In November 1968, Parmusi held its first congress and elected Mohammad Roem, former Masyumi leader, as its chairman.

Unfortunately, the New Order regime refused to acknowledge Roem as the chairman of Parmusi due to his close ties with Masyumi. As a result, Roem was forced to resign and Hadikusumo was re-appointed as the chairman of the party.

In 1970, Hadikusumo was replaced by H.J. Naro and later by M.S. Mintaredja. It was under the latter's leadership that Parmusi and the other Islamic parties merged into the Partai Persatuan Pembangunan PPP (United Development Party) in 1973.