Govt vows not to meddle in NU's internal affairs

KEDIRI, East Java (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tolchah Hasan said on Sunday the government would not interfere in the internal affairs of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), including the decision on who would lead the largest Muslim organization for the 1999-2004 period.

"The government has no preference on who should lead NU and it will not intervene in its internal affairs. It is the congress's authority to elect the most suitable among the candidates," Tolchah said on Sunday at the congress's first plenary session.

He said that the names of all the candidates circulated prior to the congress had their own potential to lead the organization.

Four names have been suggested for the NU top position to replace Abdurrahman Wahid, who was elected the country's President last month.

The four are Said Aqiel Siradj, deputy secretary of NU's law- making body; Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of NU's East Java chapter; outgoing NU deputy chairman Mustofa Bisri and Fadjrul Falaakh, a lecturer from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University.

The minister said he appreciated the tight competition among the candidates and their own supporters, adding that the contest was at a tolerable level.

Tolchah, also an outgoing NU deputy chairman, said different opinions among ulemas and candidates was a natural consequence of democracy.

"Such stiff competition is needed to create a healthy democratic climate. It is natural that ulemas are at odds on the organization's leadership," he said.

His comment appeared to acknowledge the debate between supporters of Said and Muzadi, which has dominated the lead up to the congress.

Tolchah said the heated rivalry would return to normal after the congress finished.

Leaflets believed to have been disseminated by Muzadi's team of campaigners criticized Siradj for his close association with Christians. The circulars called on the participants to reject elect any candidate who had entered churches.

Unperturbed by the criticism, Siradj's camp, who set up their command post near the congress venue, launched a counter-campaign by providing NU delegations with T-shirts bearing Siradj's face and booklets on the man.

Siradj acknowledged that he frequently went to churches "to address Christians about Muslim views, instead of being preached (to by Christians)." Like Abdurrahman, Siradj, who is a professor on Islam, is well known among Christian figures.

Both Muzadi and Siradj have expressed their readiness and commitment to develop the organization and to carry out the organization's programs for the sake of the nation and Muslims.

NU secretary-general Arifin Junaidi said the competition between the aspiring candidates was fairer and more democratic than events during the previous congress held in 1994 in Cipasung, West Java.

He said the competition among candidates at the Cipasung congress was not democratic and led to a split in the organization.

Following his defeat in the chairmanship, Abdurrahman Wahid's rival, Abu Hasan, set up a rival NU following.

Arifin said President Abdurrahman supported all four candidates, and had no preference for one candidate over another. He quoted the President as saying that it was the congress's capacity to elect the man who would lead the organization.

In his address in the congress's opening ceremony, the President called on ulemas and participants to maintain the organization's unity and to carry out whatever decisions resulted from it for a better future for the nation.

"NU must be maintained because it is an asset needed to develop the nation," Abdurrahman said. (nur/rms)