Gus Dur may retain top NU post: Moerdiono<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said
\nyesterday that Abdurrahman Wahid \"still has the chance\" to retain
\nhis post as chief of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest
\nMoslem organization.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said Gus Dur, as Abdurrahman is better known, still
\nhad clout with the organization that claims to have more than 28
\nmillion members.<\/p>\n
\"His popularity largely comes from his controversial actions
\nand statements,\" Moerdiono told reporters after meeting with
\nmembers of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II on
\ndomestic affairs.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, who is seeking a third five-year term in office, has
\noften stunned observers and angered conservative Moslems with his
\ncontroversial statements and actions.<\/p>\n
For instance in 1989, he provoked the wrath of a number of
\nMoslem leaders when he proposed that the Moslem's traditional
\ngreeting Assalamu'alaikum be replaced with conventional ones in
\nthe local language, like \"good morning\" or \"good evening.\"<\/p>\n
He also once received similar condemnation when he refused to
\ncriticize author Salman Rushdie, whose book the Satanic Verses,
\nangered Moslem communities in the world, including those of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur's latest controversy was his proposal that the
\nIndonesian government establish diplomatic relations with Israel
\nafter his visit to the Jewish state.<\/p>\n
His statement was met with condemnation from less
\n\"progressive\" Moslems leaders who fiercely believe that
\ndiplomatic ties with Israel will not be possible until the
\nPalestinian problem is resolved.<\/p>\n
Under Gus Dur, NU made a breakthrough when it began
\ncooperating with the privately-run Bank Summa to start People's
\nCredit Bank. But following the bankruptcy of Bank Summa in 1992,
\nthe project has not run as expected.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono made it clear that the government had no intention
\nof meddling in the NU congress, which opens in the West Java town
\nof Tasikmalaya tomorrow. The organization will then elect its new
\nchairman.<\/p>\n
\"The government will let the congress elect the new leaders,\"
\nhe said, adding that the government contributed some Rp 500
\nmillion (US$228,102.19) for the event.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono confirmed press reports that he met with Gus Dur in
\nhis office recently. However, he declined to talk about what they
\ndiscussed.<\/p>\n
The congress to take place from Dec. 1 through 5 will also
\nelect other members of the executive board and adopt the
\norganization's working programs for the coming five years.<\/p>\n
On a separate occasion, Gus Dur advised the NU members to be
\nalert of their fellow colleagues trying to involve the
\norganization in politics again.<\/p>\n
NU decided in 1984 to quit formal politics and return to its
\noriginal mission as a socio-religious organization, as its
\nfounder intended in 1926.<\/p>\n
One of the burning issues in the congress would be if NU
\ndecided to abandon its 1984 commitment and again become a
\npolitical organization.<\/p>\n
NU was merged into the United Development Party (PPP),
\ntogether with three other Moslem political parties in 1973, when
\nthe government \"simplified\" political organizations by reducing
\nthe number of national parties to three.<\/p>\n
Several NU politicians who failed to snatch the chairmanship
\nof PPP in September have stuck to their demand that NU play
\npolitics, arguing that the existing parties failed to represent
\ntheir interests.<\/p>\n
Spearheaded by influential ulemas like Yusuf Hasyim and Alawy
\nMuhammad, both from East Java, they have proposed that Indonesia
\nform a new party. (imn\/har)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-may-retain-top-nu-post-moerdiono-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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