Its high-level involvement in the government was also criticized by mass Indonesia Muslim groups such as the NU and the Islamic Association of University Students (HMI) as being more concerned with political power than the advancement of Islamic objectives. ICMI's ranks were believed to be infiltrated by Islamists who sought to exercise political power through the Suharto regime and consequently it aroused considerable opposition amongst secular Indonesians and non-Indonesian Muslims.
The high-level involvement of ICMI in government was also criticized by Indonesian Muslim groups such as the NU and HMI, who felt that it prioritized political influence over Islamic objectives. This led to concerns about Islamist infiltration within ICMI's ranks, which in turn sparked opposition from secular Indonesians and non-Indonesian Muslims.