'Cak Nur' considers other ways

'Cak Nur' considers other ways

CIREBON, West Java: Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid, also
known as Cak Nur, says he will consider taking the offer of a
Muslim-based party, after withdrawing from the Golkar Party
convention to elect the party's presidential candidates.

"I will try other ways after withdrawing from the Golkar
convention," Nurcholis said during a dialog here on Saturday.

However, he said it would be too early to mention the party he
had in mind.

Earlier during the dialog organized by the Association of
Indonesian Muslim Students Alumni (KAHMI) in cooperation with
Mitra Dialog daily newspaper, he said he would concentrate on
efforts to help spread democracy.

"I prefer to concentrate on spreading democracy among the
population. The problem is, there is not enough understanding of
true democracy among the people," he said.

Responding to calls for him to refrain from joining the
presidential race, Nurcholish said he would rest the matter on
the development of democracy in Indonesia.

"Whether or not (I will) join the presidential race, depends
on how democracy progresses in Indonesia. We'll see how things
work. There's no hurry. Let it take its natural course," he said. -- Antara