NU refuses to support PKB in 2004 polls<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Alwi Shihab's National Awakening Party (PKB) has seen its bid
\nto win back its traditional support from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\ncome unstuck after the country's largest Muslim organization
\ninsisted it would maintain its impartiality.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the party's executives met with NU chairman Hasyim
\nMuzadi at the latter's office on Jl. Kramat, Central Jakarta, to
\nask for the mass organization's support due to the fact that \"the
\nparty was born from the NU's womb\".<\/p>\n
\"We are here to remind the organization of the historical ties
\nbetween the NU and the PKB. I guess it would very much make sense
\nif we could maintain the ties the same way as Muhammadyah is
\nalways linked to PAN,\" PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD said,
\nreferring to the National Mandate Party which is chaired by Amien
\nRais, who is a former Muhammadiyah chief.<\/p>\n
Mahfud was accompanied by senior PKB executive AS Hikam,
\ndeputy chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, Ali Masykur Musa and
\nTaufikkurahman Saleh, both of whom are PKB legislators in the
\nHouse of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Mahfud said that during the meeting he and Hasyim also talked
\nabout national issues, including possible changes in national
\npolitics ahead of the 2004 general election. Mahfud asserted the
\nsignificance of the meeting in \"identifying possible partners or
\ncompetitors in the coming general election.\"<\/p>\n
In his response, Hasyim asserted that he would prevent the
\norganization becoming involved in politics.<\/p>\n
\"Both the PKB and NU must keep their own institutions healthy.
\nAlthough the PKB was born from us (the NU), we (the NU and PKB)
\nare different institutions. The NU is a religious organization
\nwhile the PKB is a political organization, so just don't mix them
\nup,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
The visit of the PKB executives to NU headquarters was also
\naimed at putting an end to rumors about charismatic NU figure
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is familiarly known, which
\nhave it that he plans to campaign for an extraordinary meeting to
\nreplace Hasyim and Gus Dur's uncle Sahal Mahfudh as the chairman
\nof NU's board of patrons.<\/p>\n
\"I have asked Pak Hasyim to take the rumors lightly, as the
\nPKB, as well as most of NU's kyais (Muslim preachers), will not
\nsupport any attempt to oust him,\" Mahfud said.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur has openly expressed his support for the replacement
\nof Hasyim, whom he accused of doing little to prevent the special
\nsession of the People's Consultative Assembly that ousted him
\nlast year, and a subsequent split in the party.<\/p>\n
A splinter group of the PKB was founded by Matori Abdul
\nDjalil, who had earlier been dismissed by Gus Dur from his post
\nas PKB chairman for violating the party's code of conduct.<\/p>\n
Mahfud, nevertheless, stressed that the meeting did not
\ndiscuss the dispute between the Matori and Alwi versions of the
\nPKB.<\/p>\n
The PKB has also attempted to facilitate a reconciliation
\nmeeting between Gus Dur and Amien.<\/p>\n
According to Mahfud, Gus Dur and Amien had an unscheduled
\nmeeting for a few minutes at Soekarno-Hatta airport last week,
\nwhich Mahfud described as an effort to heal the old wounds.<\/p>\n
\"They both are national leaders, and they both have a huge
\nnumber of supporters. Their relations have an impact on the life
\nof the whole nation,\" Mahfud said.<\/p>\n
Amien is still believed to play a prominent role in the
\ncountry's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadyah. Just
\nlike Gus Dur, Amien reportedly harbors ambitions of becoming the
\ncountry's president.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nu-refuses-to-support-pkb-in-2004-polls-1447893297",
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