Cak Nur calls for opposition

Cak Nur calls for opposition

JAKARTA: Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish "Cak Nur" Madjid
called for the formation of an opposition party on Wednesday to
monitor the new government after the election.

Nurcholish said the opposition group would ensure that the
government did not violate public trust.

"It is important to have an opposition so that the government
will refrain from producing policies that will hurt the public,"
he told a discussion here.

He realized, however, that most political parties would prefer
to share power, and were thus reluctant to serve in opposition
should they fail to win the election.

Nurcholish, who has made public his intention to run for the
presidency, has yet to persuade any political party to nominate
him in the July 5 direct presidential election.

Only parties or coalitions with at least 3 percent of the
seats in the House of Representatives or 5 percent of total votes
won in the legislative elections will be allowed to field
candidates in the presidential election. --JP