From Mullah to Regent: The Study of Leadership Alteration from Islamic Boarding School to the Secular Leadership
Dr. Nurul Azizah

Abstract
In a political democratic system, the fact that there is contiguity between mullahs and politics which places mullahs as the top leaders in region is an interesting new phenomenon to observe. The emergence of Kyai or Mulahs as Umara’ or Leaders in the government raises a variety of criticism and hope. On one side, the emergence of Islamic boarding school mullahs as politicians is seen as an interference of democratization and development process. It is because mullahs are still considered holding conservative-feudalistic culture, which is framed in religious theory, and also because they have never had any experience in bureaucracy and administration before. That is why a figure of mullah is considered incapable of leading a governmental organization. On the other hand, hope and positives views toward the emergence of mullah as a regent emerge and rise. With his mobility and religion knowledge, a mullah is expected to be able to give changes in governmental organizations, which thus far are considered fail. From the above brief description, the problems which will be answered in this study are formulated as follows: First, in the local politics dynamics, especially in the Head of Region elections, is there any leadership transformation from traditional to rational leadership when the Regent’s background is Ulama or a Mullah? Second, how does the traditional leadership play role in a rational bureaucracy? What conflicts do occur when there is a role transformation from traditional to rational leadership? The purpose of this study is generally to understand how exactly the leadership type transforms; from the ulama’s leadership type, which is traditional, into umara’ leadership type. From the background of the problems, the study aims as follows: First, to find out the type of mullahs’ leadership who become the head of a region in running a rational government wheel, to find out the attitudes and ethics of a mullah who become umara’ toward the power as the mandate and the implementation of the authority. Second, to find out what tips or strategies used by the regional heads whose backgrounds as mullahs in playing the role in a rational bureaucracy.

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