Abdurrahman supports NU change of guard

Abdurrahman supports NU change of guard

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid revealed on
Tuesday that a group of influential Muslim clerics kyais are
demanding a snap Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) congress that could lead to
the ouster of current chairman Hasyim Muzadi.

Speaking at NU headquarters on Jl. Kramat Raya, Central
Jakarta, Gus Dur said he had held separate meetings with the
kyais, including Abdurahman Chudori of Tegalrejo, Yogyakarta and
Kyai Ahmad Subadar of Pasuruan, East Java, during which they
insisted that Hasyim be replaced.

"These kyais demanded that Pak Hasyim be replaced, but I don't
know who will be nominated to the position. I myself, have no
grudge with Pak Hasyim ... so, let the kyais decide," Gus Dur
said.

Gus Dur did not elaborate on the reason for the urgency of
Hasyim's replacement, but the issue has added to the silent
conflict between the former president and NU that dates back to
last year when the country's largest Muslim organization failed
to help Gus Dur fight the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR),
which dismissed him from the top executive post.

Hasyim replaced Gus Dur as NU chairman in a congress in 1999
and his term will expire in 2004.

Sources close to NU said that Gus Dur, who remains influential
within the Muslim organization, was also planning to replace his
uncle Zahal Mahfudz as chairman of NU's board of patrons with his
deputy Fachruddin Mastura, while expecting to fill the vacant
post left by Fachruddin.

The demand for an extraordinary congress was met with stiff
opposition from NU executives, including secretary-general
Masduki Badlawi and Syaifullah Yusuf, chairman of NU's youth wing
Anshor.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post separately on Tuesday, both
Masduki and Syaifullah said that any dispute between NU figures
should be settled in the forum of kyai or NU executive plenary
meeting, instead of a congress.

Masduki said that no congress could be called based on
personal interests.

"If Gus Dur insists on engineering a snap congress to replace
several NU executives, he must provide evidence of their
mistakes, such as corruption," Masduki said.

"The meeting must receive approval from all NU kyais, as well
as the NU law making body Syuriah," Masduki said.

Masduki said Hasyim had done nothing wrong so far. On the
contrary, under Hasyim's leadership, NU has emerged as an
organization which engages in positive relationships with other
institutions, including Muhammadyah, Masduki added.

"If Hasyim is seen as reluctant to directly support PKB, it
must be viewed as an effort to keep NU free from political
involvement, which would otherwise jeopardize its principle of
impartiality," Masduki said.

Separately, Syaifullah implied that the plan to hold an
extraordinary congress came from several PKB executives.

"There is no reason to hold an extraordinary congress.
Experience teaches us that internal disputes within NU have never
prompted a snap congress," he said.

A reliable source also told the Post that several figures in
the party have tried to lure mass support from the organization
to ensure a win for PKB in the 2004 general election. According
to him, Gus Dur, a charismatic figure, also has ambitions for the
presidency.