Final touches made for NU congress

Final touches made for NU congress

KEDIRI, East Java (JP): The finishing touches were made on
Friday to the grand preparations for the start of the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) congress, which will be opened on Sunday by it's
chairman, Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Kediri Mayor Mas'ud, Kediri Military District chief Lt. Col.
Putut Winarno, Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School director Idris
Marzuki and organizing committee chairman An'im made a final
inspection of the boarding school which will be used as the venue
for the eight-day meeting.

While past NU congresses have always attracted substantial
attention, the coming 30th congress is particularly significant
as Abdurrahman is now the nation's top executive.

Not only will Abdurrahman be attending, but Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to close the congress on
Friday.

Idris said the Rp 7 billion conference hall located in the
middle of the 17-hectare boarding school compound and two other
big dormitories were expected to accommodate some 1,700
participants.

"All material facilities needed for participants are ready,"
he said, noting that numerous businessmen in the province were
also contributing various material and financial assistance.

He said the organizing committee also had some Rp 2.5 billion
to finance the congress.

The scenery is likely to evolve into a festival-like
atmosphere because apart from formal NU matters, the congress
will also be used as an arena for the promotion for small and
middle-sized companies.

Idris said more than 10,000 stands in the boarding school
compound and along the street leading to the venue were fully
booked.

"The presence of stands around this location is in line with
the congresses mission to promote a people-oriented economy.
Small and middle-sized companies must be empowered to improve the
people's social welfare," he said.

Kediri Mayor Mas'ud said the NU had requested local residents
actively help in making the congress a success.

"We have told people to be hospitable to all their guests and
play an active role in maintaining order and security during the
congress," he said.

Kediri Military District chief Lt. Col. Putut Winarno said
that a total of 2,500 security personnel from the East Java
provincial Police and the Brawijaya Military Command had been
deployed to safeguard the congress.

"The security personnel have been deployed in and around the
congress location. This number should be adequate to cover the
congress," he said, adding that he hoped the congress would
proceed smoothly and peacefully.

Organizing committee chairman An'im said that about 300,000
invitees, including 1,675 ulemas participating in the congress,
were expected to arrive here on Saturday, a day before the
congresses opening ceremony.

"A total of 306 NU branches across the country will each send
a five-member delegation along with two observers. NU chapters in
26 provinces and the central board will each send 500 people in
their delegations," he said.

He said that some 300 local and foreign observers were also
invited to attend the congress and that approximately 400
journalists from local and foreign media were registered to cover
the event.

Asked about the likely outcome of the top NU post, An'im said
that this would be up to the 1,675 delegates representing 306
branches to decide.

"The principle in the election will be one branch for one
vote," he said.

At least five names have been put forward as strong candidates
to replace Abdurrahman -- NU scholar Said Aqil Siradj; Solahuddin
Wahid, the president's younger brother; Mustofa Bisri, director
of an Islamic Boarding School in Rembang, Central Java; Hasyim
Muzadi, chairman of the East Java NU chapter and Fadjroel Falakh,
the NU deputy chairman. (rms)