Gus Dur wins ticket to Senayan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid was among 63
\nlegislative candidates endorsed on Monday by the General
\nElections Commission (KPU) to represent various interest groups
\nat the People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
The KPU approved Abdurrahman to represent the country's
\nlargest Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which he
\nchairs after a vote in which 51 were in favor of him and four
\nagainst.<\/p>\n
\"The debate over interest group representatives is over and we
\nwill soon report the selection outcome to the President,\" said
\nKPU chairman Rudini.<\/p>\n
The decision to pass Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, was
\nmade after Agus Miftach, a member of the subcommission team in
\ncharge of selecting the legislators, met with Abdurrahman and
\nseveral other NU executives last Friday to discuss Abdurrahman's
\ncandidacy.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Agus was a strong contender for Abdurrahman's
\nnomination because of his close ties with the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB). Abdurrahman is the party's founder.<\/p>\n
KPU has decided to recruit nonpartisans only for MPR interest
\ngroup members.<\/p>\n
A series of demonstrations in support of Abdurrahman marked
\nthe debate in the subcommission.<\/p>\n
Except for Heroe Syswanto NS from the Indonesian Film Artists
\nAssociation (Parfi) and Fransisca Titi Vharmana of the Al
\nIttihadiyah Muslim organization, nominations of the MPR
\nlegislators were approved.<\/p>\n
The qualifiers include Siswono Yudohusodo of the Indonesian
\nFarmers Association (HKTI), Feisal Tamin of the Indonesian Civil
\nServants Organization (Korpri), Nursyahbani Katjasungkana of
\nwomen's organization APIK, Rais Abin of the Indonesian Veterans
\nLegion (LVRI) and Sri Mulyono Herlambang of Freedom Fighters
\nStudents Association (PKB PPK).<\/p>\n
Another member, Marzuki Usman, recently resigned from his
\nposition as state minister of investment to represent his
\norganization, the Indonesian Economists Association (ISEI).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and
\nIndustry Ginandjar Kartasasmita confirmed on Monday that he
\nplanned to resign from the Cabinet if he is appointed a member of
\nthe MPR.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar said he would like to serve a five-year term in the
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
He will quit from the Cabinet as soon as his appointment as
\nGolkar representative for West Java is confirmed this month, he
\nsaid, then added that President B.J. Habibie had given his
\nblessings to his plan.<\/p>\n
\"If I am to end my career in serving the nation by becoming an
\nMPR member, then this is an honor. It is impossible that someone
\nwould want to remain a minister forever,\" said Ginandjar before
\nattending the National Defense and Security Council
\n(Wanhankamnas) meeting at Bina Graha presidential office, which
\nwas chaired by Habibie.<\/p>\n
The new members of the House of Representatives and the
\nAssembly will be installed on Oct.1. Presidential and vice
\npresidential elections will be held in November. (05\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-wins-ticket-to-senayan-1447893297",
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