ISLAMIC POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY INDONESIA

Indonesia with a population of more than 90 percent Muslim is not an Islamic country, regardless an ongoing efforts among some Islamic leaders to implement Islamic shari'a (Islamic law) in people's everyday life. The political efforts of Islamic parties did not reach the maximum, as their vote achievements tended to be decreasing from around 43 percent in 1955 to 31.41 percent in 2014 election. Nevertheless, the idea to implement Shari'a is still alive, and some small Islamic organizations even voiced and fought for the establishment of an Islamic State. Moreover, radicalism also resurfaced, because not only is there supporters of Islamic State in the society but also their communication with Muslims in the Middle East is strengthened. The mainstream Islam in Indonesia, however, not only railed radicalism, but also rejected the ideas of the Islamic state. They are, instead, determined to make Indonesia as the country with the secular ideology, i.e. Pancasila, not Islam. This situation continues to heat up because in addition to the fact that the mainstream Sunni Islam is under attack from the Wahhabis they are also interfered with the presence of followers of Shi'ite who disturbed their ideology and practice of worship.