Golkar speaks in defense of relationship with NU

SEMARANG (JP): While Golkar's relationship with Abdurrahman Wahid, the controversial Nahdlatul Ulama chairman, is somewhat strained, it is building a good rapport with the organization's members, a Golkar leader says.

Abdullah Fahmi Alatas denied in a seminar here Saturday that the ruling political grouping has failed to attract members from the Moslem mass organization.

With some 30 million supporters, mostly in rural areas, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is by far the largest Moslem organization here, representing an attractive power base for any political grouping.

"It's untrue that Golkar has failed in reaching NU. What's happening is that the relation between the Golkar executive board and Abdurrahman Wahid is less than intimate," Alatas said.

Alatas told the audience that his grouping enjoys good relations with Ilyas Ruhiyat, chairman of NU's law-making body, and with communities in boarding schools belonging to the organization throughout Indonesia.

Alatas, who heads Golkar's department of mass media and publication, also said his organization has been successful in establishing good relations with other major Moslem organizations, including the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah.

Abdurrahman Wahid, more popularly known as Gus Dur, chairs NU's executive board. Since his re-election last December, which some analysts say was not endorsed by the government, he has reportedly been building a strong rapport with the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Chaired by Megawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of the late first president Sukarno, the minority party is the closest thing Indonesia has to an opposition. Its alliance with NU is regarded as an effort to face Golkar's dominance.

The seminar also featured political scientist Soehardjo, from Diponegoro University, and Golkar legislator Tjahyo Kumolo.

Tjahyo reminded the seminar that Gus Dur once called himself "a Golkar cadre", albeit "one who stands on the margin".

Gus Dur was a Golkar representative in the People's Consultative Assembly from 1987 until 1992. It was during this time he made the public see that he was trying to draw a line between his NU position and the political interests of Golkar.

As for NU's current stance on politics, Tjahyo said that the organization is so far committed to giving its members the freedom to voice their aspirations through any of the existing political groupings.

"Gus Dur is treating all NU members as mature individuals with broad horizons by allowing them to choose any social and political organizations," Tjahyo said.

Tjahyo said the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) has also been campaigning for greater NU support by approaching its influential leaders.

"PPP wishes to retain its position (as an organization through which Moslems voice their aspirations), but attracting NU followers to join it will not be easy," he said.

Tjahyo pointed out that NU's members had not even discussed the possibility of strengthening their relationship with PPP during its congress in December. (har/swe)