Gus Dur must represent NU in MPR: Amien<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN)
\nAmien Rais has thrown his support behind Abdurrahman Wahid's
\nnomination to serve in the People's Consultative Assembly despite
\nthe rejection of the General Elections Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
"Abdurrahman Wahid chairs the biggest Muslim mass organization
\nin Indonesia (Nahdlatul Ulama)," Amien said on Tuesday when asked
\nto explain his support for the nomination.<\/p>\n
The commission's Team-15, which must verify nominees for the
\nnext Assembly, rejected on Monday the nomination of Abdurrahman,
\nbetter known as Gus Dur, as one of the 65 representatives of
\ninterest groups.<\/p>\n
It contended that Abdurrahman, as a founder of the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), would be biased toward the party.<\/p>\n
A KPU regulation stipulates that only people whose political
\naspirations are not channeled in political parties can qualify to
\nrepresent interest groups in the next Assembly.<\/p>\n
Separately, chairman of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nHamzah Haz urged the commission to respect Abdurrahman's
\nnomination.<\/p>\n
"It is undisputable, Gus Dur is the most suitable
\nrepresentative from NU because he is the person most responsible
\nfor the largest Muslim organization," Hamzah said at PPP
\nheadquarters in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Amien and Hamzah are leading figures in a coalition known as
\nthe "central axis", which has nominated Abdurrahman as an
\nalternative presidential candidate. The axis is a loose coalition
\nof PAN plus eight Muslim-based political parties<\/p>\n
Amien said the central axis group was more solid now and a
\nmajority of its members would support Abdurrahman's nomination as
\npresidential candidate.<\/p>\n
"Between 70 percent to 80 percent have declared their
\nreadiness to nominate Gus Dur while the rest of is still
\nconsidering it," he said.<\/p>\n
The central axis was formed around two months ago.<\/p>\n
It will be a force to be reckoned with if the PKB, which
\ncontinues to back Megawati Soekarnoputri for president, breaks
\nranks and joins the axis.<\/p>\n
With the PKB's 54 seats, the axis could have about 174 elected
\nseats in the 700-member People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) has 154 seats and the Golkar Party 120. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-must-represent-nu-in-mpr-amien-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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