SECULAR-MUSLIM TENSIONS SPARKED BY ROW OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000934 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP NSC FOR E. PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2019 TAGS: PGOV KISL ID SUBJECT: SECULAR-MUSLIM TENSIONS SPARKED BY ROW OVER ISLAMIC HEAD COVERING Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The wearing of the "jilbab"--traditional Muslim female head covering--has become an issue in Indonesia's presidential election campaign. Some Islamic leaders have recently asserted that the President might lose Muslim votes because his wife, Ibu Ani, does not wear the jilbab. The statement drew strong criticism from secular-oriented Indonesians. The fact that Islamic leaders are making such remarks highlights their tepid support for the President. Despite the contretemps, the President continues to have a big lead in the polls ahead of the July election. END SUMMARY. CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS RE PRESIDENT'S WIFE ¶2. (SBU) Secular-Muslim tensions, one of the motors of Indonesian politics, have recently entered into the presidential election campaign. A well-publicized statement by Zulkieflimansyah ("Zul"),a senior MP for the Islamic-oriented Prosperous Justice Party (PKS),triggered the controversy. Zul publicly stated last week that a recent internal PKS survey showed that the pairing of Vice President Jusuf Kalla and General (ret'd) Wiranto was gaining ground on President Yudhoyono and his VP nominee Boediono partially because their wives wear the jilbab--a traditional Muslim headdress. (Note: As is the case with many Indonesian Muslim women, Ibu Ani, President Yudhoyono's wife, in fact, does not wear the jilbab. Nor does Herawati, Boediono's wife. They both are practicing Muslims and do work with Muslim relief organizations.) ¶3. (SBU) Although the PKS has officially entered into a coalition with the President, Zul claimed that party leaders could not "fully control the hearts of our grass roots constituents." For good measure, he added that Kalla was just more successful at luring Muslim voters. Even more controversial, another PKS legislator went so far as to suggest that Ibu Ani should begin wearing the jilbab in order "to win votes." In the meantime, the Kalla/Wiranto pair seem to be attempting to capitalize on the controversy by taking out a full-page add in Indonesia's largest newspaper featuring the two with their wives wearing traditional Muslim dress. STRONG REACTION IN DEFENSE OF A SECULAR INDONESIA ¶4. (SBU) Clearly taking offense at the mention of his wife, President Yudhoyono immediately rejected the comments. He expressed concerns that some politicians were "exploiting" Islam for short-term political gain. He stated: "It (the use of wedge issues such as Islam) could not only endanger the dignity of religion itself, but also the pluralistic character of our nation." The President was not alone. Leading moderate Muslim cleric Ahmad Mustofa called on politicians to stop using religion in politics, saying "God should stay away from political buzz." ¶5. (SBU) Zul's comments also came on the eve of Pancasila Day, which honors Indonesia's founding principles which were based on secular themes. Pancasila celebrations and Zul's comments prompted a cascade of newspaper commentaries extolling secularism and condemning any attempt to make Indonesians hew any sort of religious line. TEPID SUPPORT FROM ISLAMIC-BASED PARTIES ¶6. (C) The President seems to have won this round by uQrscoring his support for a secular Indonesia while firmly batting away any suggestions that he and his wife are somehow not Muslim enough, The fact that Islamic leaders are making remarks re the jilbab highlights their tepid support for the President, however. The President's coalition of 24 parties includes all the major Islamic-based parties. These parties as a rule do not seem strongly in favor of the President. They appear particularly uncomfortable with his choice of Boediono, the former Central Bank Governor, as VP nominee. Islamic party leaders clearly wanted one of their own to be selected and were angered when their candidates were rejected by the President. ¶7. (C) That said, despite his problems on the right, President Yudhoyono remains far ahead in the polls. And, in any case, national surveys indicate that Indonesians overwhelmingly see the economy as the most important election JAKARTA 00000934 002 OF 002 issue (76 percent). Religious issues are hardly a factor with only 2 percent of the populace seeing them as being a high priority, indicating that trying to make Islam some sort of wedge issue in the campaign almost certainly will not work. HUME