Abdurrahman tells NU officials not to compete for PPP post
<p>Abdurrahman tells NU officials not to compete for PPP post</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the nation's
largest Islamic organization, have again been advised not to
jockey for position in the Moslem-based United Development Party
(PPP), which will elect new leadership in August. </p><p>NU Chairman Abdurrahman Wahid said on Sunday that only NU
figures already in the party may play politics, while all other
NU members should focus on Moslem education. </p><p>"NU leaders shouldn't bother with that political party," he
said in a meeting with about 160 NU activists from Jakarta, the
Antara news agency reported. </p><p>Wahid reiterated his objections to NU moving back to politics
amid press reports that many NU leaders in the provinces are
involved in the PPP power struggle. </p><p>Formerly a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
for the ruling Golkar, Wahid has been pushed by numerous
individuals to run for the PPP chair, but he has been
noncommittal when not directly discouraging. </p><p>The party faithful think his charisma could save the PPP from
loosing more support to the resurgent PDI, which has threatened
to supplant the PPP - traditional second fiddle to Golkar - and
relegate it to the position of least favored of the nation's
three parties. </p><p>Wahid reminded the participants that since its establishment
in 1926, NU's concern has been to take care of the students of
Islamic boarding schools and the public. </p><p>"NU addresses people's rights and their relations with the
government," said Wahid, who also heads the Forum Demokrasi, an
organization which criticizes the government.</p><p>NU was once a strong political party but was convinced to
return to its educational mission and retreated from formal
politics in 1984. </p><p>The PPP on Friday formed its congress committee without much
fanfare amid the bitter rivalry between leaders of the four
organizations that make up the party. </p><p>Intense debate</p><p> After five hours of intense debate, PPP Secretary General
Matori Abdul Djalil announced that the party had successfully
passed the "first hurdle", political jargon meaning the opposed
factions reached a compromise. </p><p>The committee, which is divided into two sub-committees, is
dominated by incumbent officials of the Central Executive Board. </p><p>The chair of the committee goes to Hamzah Haz, a deputy
chairman and prominent legislator from NU, and is one of the
strongest chairmanship candidates. </p><p>H. Yudho Paripurno and Zain Badjeber, both deputy chairmen and
legislators, were named heads of the steering sub-committee and
subject matter sub-committee respectively.</p><p>Party Chairman Ismail Hassan Metareum, whose leadership is
targeted by many as "too dull", was left in charge of the whole
congress. </p><p>Matori, a senior politician from NU, believed to have enough
rural support to snatch the chairmanship, has no formal position
in the congress. </p><p>"I don't need a position in the congress but as you see I
remain the (party) secretary general," he said. (pan)</p>
largest Islamic organization, have again been advised not to
jockey for position in the Moslem-based United Development Party
(PPP), which will elect new leadership in August. </p><p>NU Chairman Abdurrahman Wahid said on Sunday that only NU
figures already in the party may play politics, while all other
NU members should focus on Moslem education. </p><p>"NU leaders shouldn't bother with that political party," he
said in a meeting with about 160 NU activists from Jakarta, the
Antara news agency reported. </p><p>Wahid reiterated his objections to NU moving back to politics
amid press reports that many NU leaders in the provinces are
involved in the PPP power struggle. </p><p>Formerly a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
for the ruling Golkar, Wahid has been pushed by numerous
individuals to run for the PPP chair, but he has been
noncommittal when not directly discouraging. </p><p>The party faithful think his charisma could save the PPP from
loosing more support to the resurgent PDI, which has threatened
to supplant the PPP - traditional second fiddle to Golkar - and
relegate it to the position of least favored of the nation's
three parties. </p><p>Wahid reminded the participants that since its establishment
in 1926, NU's concern has been to take care of the students of
Islamic boarding schools and the public. </p><p>"NU addresses people's rights and their relations with the
government," said Wahid, who also heads the Forum Demokrasi, an
organization which criticizes the government.</p><p>NU was once a strong political party but was convinced to
return to its educational mission and retreated from formal
politics in 1984. </p><p>The PPP on Friday formed its congress committee without much
fanfare amid the bitter rivalry between leaders of the four
organizations that make up the party. </p><p>Intense debate</p><p> After five hours of intense debate, PPP Secretary General
Matori Abdul Djalil announced that the party had successfully
passed the "first hurdle", political jargon meaning the opposed
factions reached a compromise. </p><p>The committee, which is divided into two sub-committees, is
dominated by incumbent officials of the Central Executive Board. </p><p>The chair of the committee goes to Hamzah Haz, a deputy
chairman and prominent legislator from NU, and is one of the
strongest chairmanship candidates. </p><p>H. Yudho Paripurno and Zain Badjeber, both deputy chairmen and
legislators, were named heads of the steering sub-committee and
subject matter sub-committee respectively.</p><p>Party Chairman Ismail Hassan Metareum, whose leadership is
targeted by many as "too dull", was left in charge of the whole
congress. </p><p>Matori, a senior politician from NU, believed to have enough
rural support to snatch the chairmanship, has no formal position
in the congress. </p><p>"I don't need a position in the congress but as you see I
remain the (party) secretary general," he said. (pan)</p>