Gus Dur briefs Muslim scholars on candidacy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid briefed 13 Muslim scholars
\nfrom Central and East Java on his presidential nomination on
\nFriday night, but there was no final decision on whether the
\nscholars would support his bid to the government's top post.<\/p>\n
"They were glad to hear my explanations. But they decided to
\nwithhold their decision until one day before the Oct. 20
\npresidential election," Abdurrahman said after the 90-minute
\nmeeting, which was held just after his visit to East Java with
\nhis presidential rival and close friend Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, who is popularly known as Gus Dur, said the
\nscholars questioned the seriousness of the level of support from
\nthe "axis force", a loose alliance of seven Muslim-oriented
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur has repeatedly said he would only run for the
\npresidency with the full consent of senior Muslim scholars from
\nCentral and East Java.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Langitan Islamic boarding school KH Abdullah
\nFaqih, a leader whom Gus Dur regards as his guru, did not attend
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Friday in Jombang, East Java, Gus Dur said he would
\njoin the presidential race only after meeting with Abdullah
\nFaqih.<\/p>\n
"If I get the nod from Abdullah Faqih, I will go ahead," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur and Megawati, the presidential candidate for the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) went to
\nEast Java on Friday to pay homage beside their fathers' graves.<\/p>\n
They arrived in Blitar before midday in a BMW car. First they
\nvisited the grave of Megawati's father, Indonesia's founding
\npresident Soekarno. After local religious leaders completed
\nprayers beside the grave, the entourage headed to Jombang, some
\n60 kilometers north of Blitar.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur's father and grandfather are buried in Jombang. The
\nsmall city is also the birthplace of Indonesia's largest Muslim
\norganization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). The organization has more
\nthan 35 million followers and has been chaired by Gus Dur since
\n1984.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur was nominated on Wednesday as a presidential candidate
\nby the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK).<\/p>\n
The two parties, which are members of the axis force, together
\nhave 40 members in the 700-seat People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur said in Jombang that he had accepted his presidential
\nnomination by the two parties to ensure that there would be at
\nleast two contestants in the Oct. 20 presidential election.<\/p>\n
"Within a normal democracy, there should be at least two
\ncandidates in an election. If other candidates withdraw from the
\nrace, then there will still be two contestants: me and Mega," he
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Asked about the possibility of a withdrawal of her good
\nfriend's support, Megawati said she and Gus Dur had often
\ntraveled together and discussed issues of importance to the
\nnation.<\/p>\n
"What we both are striving for is not a matter of winning or
\nlosing, but wholly in the best interest of the nation and the
\nstate," Megawati said.<\/p>\n
Political analysts, however, say Gus Dur's nomination will
\ncomplicate the presidential battle, which previously pit the
\nincumbent, B.J. Habibie of the Golkar Party, against Megawati.<\/p>\n
Habibie all out<\/p>\n
Habibie told a media conference on Friday evening that he was
\nhighly optimistic of his chances for the presidency.<\/p>\n
"I think I have the same chance as other candidates," he told
\nthe special media meeting, which was broadcast live by state-
\nowned TVRI.<\/p>\n
"I am not a coward. I will fight all out, but without using
\nmoney politics," he said in reply to rumors that he would attempt
\nto stay in power at all costs.<\/p>\n
He recalled analysts' premature predictions of his early time
\nin the nation's top job, which became vacant after president
\nSoeharto stepped down in May 1998 under enormous pressure from
\ndemonstrating students and a collapsing economy.<\/p>\n
"They predicted that I would survive for only three days, then
\nfor three months. But you see I am still here.<\/p>\n
"Many have often criticized me for talking too much. But now I
\nmust listen a lot," he said.<\/p>\n
The President dominated the media session. His drawn-out
\nresponses, which detailed his administration's achievements,
\npermitted only about five reporters to raise questions during the
\n90-minute conference.<\/p>\n
Habibie said he was confident the Golkar party would not
\nreview his candidacy at its leadership meeting early next week.<\/p>\n
"I don't think they would change their candidate only a few
\ndays before the race. That would be disadvantageous to Golkar,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the chairman of the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), Matori Abdul Djalil, reaffirmed on Friday
\nhis party's full support for Megawati's presidential bid.<\/p>\n
Matori was commenting on PKB deputy chairman Alwi Shihab's
\nremarks on Thursday that the party was throwing its support
\nbehind Gus Dur's candidacy.<\/p>\n
"The support expressed by Alwi Shihab and friends was only
\nmeant to show their appreciation in response to Gus Dur's
\nnomination," Matori said.<\/p>\n
"As the leader of the party, I say that PKB is still committed
\nto its candidate, as decided in the senior official meeting."
\nThat candidate was Megawati, he added.<\/p>\n
Matori proposed Golkar's Akbar Tanjung as the Megawati's
\nrunning mate in the presidential battle, saying that both command
\ndomestic and international respect.<\/p>\n
"The Mega-Akbar partnership in the top leadership posts is the
\nmost ideal team to lead the nation out of its present crisis," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung, who was recently nominated as
\nthe House of Representatives (DPR) speaker, said that Gus Dur's
\nnomination by some members of the axis force would make the
\npresidential race tougher.<\/p>\n
"The presidential battle is certainly set to become much
\nkeener, because the central axis alliance, with support from
\nseveral other factions, could command almost 200 members in the
\n700-seat assembly.<\/p>\n
"But the situation is still in such a state of flux that
\nthings could change by the hour," Akbar said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Megawati and Gus Dur's joint homage to East
\nJava, Akbar said he hoped they had been able to forge an
\nagreement in regard to the MPR General Session, especially the
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, some 11 youth groups affiliated with the NU and
\nMuhammadiyah organizations, urged the Reform faction at the MPR
\nto uphold Gus Dur's presidential nomination.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a joint conference held on Friday, the youth
\ngroups' leaders also declared their support for Gus Dur in the
\npresidential race, saying that the NU leader was considered the
\n"best choice" among the existing candidates.<\/p>\n
"Gus Dur is accepted by all elements of the society and he can
\nwork together with all parties," Nadjamuddin Ramly of the Pemuda
\nMuhammadiyah said. (emf\/vin)<\/p>",
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