Gus Dur says will run for presidency<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Tuban\/Kediri\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Defying the strict General Elections Commission (KPU)
\nadjudication on the health requirement for presidential
\ncandidates and throwing a wrench into the Golkar machinery,
\ncofounder of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Abdurrahman "Gus
\nDur" Wahid declared on Sunday he would enter the race.<\/p>\n
Emerging from a two-hour meeting with dozens the top brass of
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) influential clerics from Langitan Islamic
\nboarding school in the East Java town of Tuban, Gus Dur said the
\nclerics or kyai khos had thrown their support behind his bid in
\nthe July 5 direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
"We all have agreed that I will register as a presidential
\ncandidate because justice in our legal system still has a chance.
\nHowever, if I fail there will definitely be another candidate
\nfrom PKB," Gus Dur announced.<\/p>\n
He remains optimistic that the KPU will be required to allow
\nhim to run.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur is scheduled to register as the PKB presidential
\ncandidate with the commission on Monday. The registration process
\nwill close on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
KPU will announce the results of the administrative screening
\nfor the candidates between May 8 and May 14.<\/p>\n
Among the influential NU figures present at the Tuban meeting
\nwere revered cleric Abdullah Faqih from Langitan, Muhaimin from
\nCentral Java, Chotib Umar from Jember. Two clerics, Sopyan from
\nSitubondo, East Java and Abdullah Abbas from Cirebon, West Java,
\nwere absent, but expressed their support over the telephone.<\/p>\n
PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD, who was part of a nine-member
\nteam authorized to handle the party's presidential bid, said that
\napart from endorsing Gus Dur, they named Golkar Party member
\nMarwah Daud Ibrahim, former House of Representatives legislator
\nfrom the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction
\nSophan Sophiaan and United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK)
\nleader Ryaas Rasyid as potential vice presidential candidates for
\nthe former president, whose last vice president was Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Mahfud also said the clerics had approved the nomination of
\nPKB figures Alwi Shihab, Mohammad AS Hikam, Khofifah Indar
\nParawansa and himself as alternative presidential candidates as
\nwell as delaying a decision on Gus Dur's brother's candidacy with
\nGolkar and Wiranto.<\/p>\n
"If the KPU finally disqualifies Gus Dur, only then will we
\nendorse Solahuddin Wahid as the running mate of Wiranto," he
\nsaid, referring to the Golkar Party's presidential candidate,
\nwhose candidacy was dealt a severe blow after Gus Dur's latest
\nmove.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Chief Justice Bagir Manan upheld the controversial
\nSupreme Court decision favoring the KPU's restrictions on the
\nhealth requirement, saying he had no power to review it.<\/p>\n
Earlier last week, Abdurrahman said he would not run after
\nbeing informed by his lawyers that the court had turned down
\nPKB's request for a judicial review of the KPU ruling.<\/p>\n
The party said the ruling violated the Constitution by
\ndiscriminating against the disabled, including Gus Dur, who is
\nvisually impaired.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Solahuddin said he fully supported the nomination
\nof his elder brother Gus Dur as PKB's presidential candidate and
\nwould wait for the KPU's decision on Gus Dur's candidacy before
\nhe could accept the offer from Golkar.<\/p>\n
In a related development, in Lirboyo, Kediri, East Java scores
\nof other NU clerics demanded the NU central board to immediately
\nissue an edict that would provide guidance for the NU's 40
\nmillion members who were still confused about who to vote for.<\/p>\n
The clerics, including host Idris Marzuki of Lirboyo Islamic
\nboarding school, Nur Iskandar SQ from Assidiqiyah boarding school
\nin Jakarta, Warsum Munawir from Krapyak in Yogyakarta and Muchid
\nMuzadi, the older brother of president Megawati Soekarnoputri's
\nrunning mate Hasyim Muzadi, said the edict would be very useful
\nfor NU members to get a clearer picture about the presidential
\nrace.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-says-will-run-for-presidency-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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