A President's Man to Lead Muhammadiyah?
Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah (Muhammadiyah women's organization) will hold the 48th national congress (muktamar) in Solo on Nov 18-20. Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Central Board, Haedar Nashir, ensured preparations were one hundred percent ready. Delegations from Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah regional administrators throughout Indonesia have also started arriving in Solo. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo plans to open the congress.
The main agenda of this congress is to elect a new chairman of Muhammadiyah for the 2022-2027 period. The congress, which will be held ahead of the 2024 election year, and Muhammadiyah's position as the second largest Islamic organization in Indonesia with more than 20 million members make this event thick with a political atmosphere. Moreover, Muhammadiyah will also issue its stance regarding the 2024 election in this congress as part of discussing national strategic issues.
So who will lead Muhammadiyah?