Five NU ulemas to vie for DPD seats in C. Java

Five NU ulemas to vie for DPD seats in C. Java

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java

At least five charismatic ulemas from the nation's largest Muslim
organization, Nahdlatul Ulema (NU), in Central Java will contest
seats for the province's Regional Representatives Council (DPD)
in the 2004 elections.

They have passed the administrative selections as DPD
candidates representing Central Java, home to about 30 million
people.

The five are poet Mustofa Bisri, novelist Ahmad Thohari,
Khalwani, Fathuddin Rosyidi and Nafisah Sahal, the wife of Sahal
Mahfud who chairs the law-making body on the NU central board.

The NU figures are expected to struggle to win support from
members of their own organization, which claims to have 40
million members.

"However, what we regret is that some of them have tried to
win the hearts of NU members by seeking recommendations from the
organization. I think it's not fair," Thohari said.

"Though many other kyai (Muslim clerics) have expressed their
support for me, I will not ask for a recommendation from the NU.
That does not educate people," he added.

Thohari said two of the candidates, Mustofa who is better
known as Gus Mus, and Nafisah, have officially been supported by
the Central Java chapter of NU.

Other DPD candidates include Dahlan Rais, who chairs the
nation's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, for
the Central Java chapter.

"Dahlan Rais has obtained a recommendation from Muhammadiyah
to contest the DPD election," said Hasyim As'ari, a member of
Central Java's General Election Commission (KPU).

He predicted the DPD election race in the province would be
tight among the many religious figures who had registered to
join.

At least 69 people had registered with the KPU to vie for the
DPD seats and 11 of them had reportedly failed to meet
administrative requirements.

Only 58 hopefuls were undergoing the process of verification
by the local KPU.

Under the election law, all the provinces are each represented
by four elected members of the DPD that will make up the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) along with the House of
Representatives.