Instructions issued against Susilo, Megawati<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra and
\nFabiola Desy Unidjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Surabaya\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the final round of the presidential election draws near,
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) clerics have issued conflicting
\nrecommendations to woo support from voters grouped in the
\ncountry's largest Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
A few weeks after a number of clerics, who run Islamic
\nboarding schools in Pasuruan, East Java, issued a statement
\nagainst female leaders, on Sunday NU clerics who met in Lirboyo
\nboarding school in Malang, East Java, called on NU supporters not
\nto vote for a candidate with a military background.<\/p>\n
The female leader refers to Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
\nincumbent president, who will face her former chief security
\nminister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a retired Army general, in the
\nSept. 20 runoff.<\/p>\n
Lirboyo boarding school leader Idris Marzuki announced his own
\nelection \"guidelines\", which included an instruction for Muslim
\nvoters to shun military candidates. Marzuki's statement was
\nissued shortly after a series of meetings with Megawati's running
\nmate Hasyim Muzadi, who was the NU chairman before getting tabbed
\nto run with Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"The recommendation will counter the move by Raudatul Ulum
\nboarding school leaders (in Pasuruan), who forbade Muslims from
\nchoosing a woman as president,\" Idris said.<\/p>\n
The antimilitary recommendation was signed by dozens of
\nclerics from various Muslim boarding schools across East Java.
\nThey also expressed full support for Megawati and Hasyim.<\/p>\n
Populous East Java, the stronghold of NU, will be one of the
\nmost hotly contested areas, as there are more than 25 million
\nregistered voters -- one-sixth of the nation's electorate.<\/p>\n
Shortly before the first round in July, a number of clerics,
\nincluding influential leader from Langitan boarding school,
\nAbdullah Faqih, recommended that NU followers vote for the Golkar
\nParty's presidential candidate Wiranto and his running mate NU
\nfigure Solahuddin Wahid, in addition to an order for Muslim
\nvoters not to vote for a woman.<\/p>\n
Susilo and his running mate Jusuf Kalla, garnered the highest
\nnumber of votes in the July poll in East Java, followed by the
\nMegawati-Hasyim ticket and the Wiranto-Solahuddin pairing.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Hasyim attended a reunion at the Lirboyo boarding
\nschool and met thousands of students. Susilo is slated to visit
\nPasuruan on Monday.<\/p>\n
Also attending Sunday's meeting in Lirboyo were Army Chief of
\nStaff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu and Minister of Religious Affairs
\nSaid Agiel Munawar.<\/p>\n
The two presidential candidates, meanwhile, proceeded with
\ntheir busy schedules over the weekend, with Megawati visiting an
\ninfluential NU cleric in Tasikmalaya, West Java, and Susilo
\nflying for Singapore to visit ailing Muslim scholar Nurcholish
\nMadjid.<\/p>\n
Megawati visited Suryalaya boarding school in Tasikmalaya
\nalong with Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung and Pramono Anung
\nWibowo, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P)
\ndeputy secretary-general.<\/p>\n
\"I'm only here for a friendly visit,\" Megawati explained to
\nthe boarding school's headmaster Abah Anom.<\/p>\n
Abah Anom also said a prayer for Megawati's success, but
\nrefused to confirm that the prayer was an expression of support.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, Megawati and Hasyim visited the grave of
\nher father, founding president Sukarno in Blitar, East Java.<\/p>\n
Susilo went to Singapore on Sunday to visit Nurcholish, who
\nhas been getting treatment there for almost a month after
\nundergoing a liver transplant in China.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Susilo's running mate Kalla met with members of the
\nIndependent Journalists Association in a hotel in South Jakarta.<\/p>",
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