MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The Central Board of Muhammadiyah conducted a press conference on Simultaneous Regional Elections and Issues of Money Politics at the Muhammadiyah Office, Yogyakarta, on Tuesday, October 15.
The Chairperson of Muhammadiyah Busyro Muqoddas mentioned that the press conference was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of conducting the 2024 Pilkada peacefully, without the influence of transactional politics, and free from practices that compromise democratic principles.
He emphasized that Muhammadiyah stance aligns with its mission of promoting humanitarian, national, and community values, as outlined in its 48th Congress (Muktamar).
“Muhammadiyah encourages its members to actively support the development of leaders and a bureaucracy that reflect honesty, intelligence, and a genuine commitment to serving the public,” said Busyro.
He pointed out that citizens deserve leaders with integrity and a strong record of public service, but money politics undermines this right by prioritizing wealth over merit and limiting opportunities for capable candidates.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Muhammadiyah Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid Hamim Ilyas explained that Muhammadiyah views Islam as a functional religion that calls for active involvement in societal issues. He stressed that riswah—bribery or money politics—is strictly prohibited by the Quran and Hadith, condemning all who engage in it, as either givers, receivers, or intermediaries.
He also discussed the detrimental effects of political corruption, noting that it weakens the nation and diminishes the influence of Indonesian Muslims. Despite their numbers, he said, the community’s power is undermined by riswah.
“Muslims have become like a dish on a table, easily contested by those in power,” he said, highlighting the Muslims’ vulnerability to political manipulation.
Besides, the Chairperson of the Muhammadiyah Department of Politics and Public Policy Ridho Al Hamdi outlined how money politics has driven up the costs of running for office. According to a study conducted by the department, candidates for the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) often spend around IDR 1 billion, while those running for the Provincial DPRD need at least IDR 3 billion. Candidates for the national House of Representatives (DPR RI) face even higher costs, starting at IDR 15 billion. He noted that these figures vary across different regions.
“The costs are even higher in specific areas like Jakarta, where a DPR RI candidate may spend IDR 30 to IDR 50 billion,” said Ridho.
He added that these estimates do not include operational expenses, suggesting that the actual costs could be even higher. Ridho expressed concerns that the financial burden on candidates could continue to rise during the 2024 Regional Elections.
