Gus Dur back home, PKB ready to nominate him
JAKARTA (JP): The National Awakening Party (PKB) is getting ready to call a leadership meeting to discuss the formal launching of Abdurrahman Wahid as its presidential candidate now that the party's patron is home from eye surgery in the U.S.
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, arrived Thursday morning from Salt Lake City, Utah, where he underwent cosmetic surgery on his eyelids. The procedure was part of an eye treatment of which the results would determine the party's further moves.
PKB deputy chairman Alwi Shihab told The Jakarta Post that some party elders called on the executive board to name Abdurrahman their presidential candidate before the June 7 elections, regardless of the results of the treatment.
"These aspirations will be discussed with him soon," Shihab said.
Party leaders said earlier if Abdurrahman regains his eyesight, they would formally name him presidential candidate. Abdurrahman, who is the chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and is supported by 30 million followers, said he would run and win the presidency if he could see again.
Abdurrahman had been suffering from eyesight problems for years, and told his aides that things looked "blurry" to him.
Shihab, however, added PKB would likely name its candidate after the elections, because "Gus Dur actually has yet to (formally) announce his intention to become president."
"This is something that needs to be clarified and discussed thoroughly," Shihab said, adding that Abdurrahman is healthy.
"He is cheerful and sharp as usual. The cosmetics surgery on his eyelids is to widen and 'open' his eyeballs. Now he has to wait for further treatment. There's hope he will recuperate soon," he said.
A special team consisting of five doctors will carefully monitor his progress, Shihab said.
"Abdurrahman and some PKB leaders are scheduled to leave Sunday for Jepara, Central Java. We will have a meeting with locals and PKB officials there," he added.
Security authorities in Central Java urged Thursday for Gus Dur to postpone his visit to the city, which was still tense following a clash between PKB supporters and those of the United Development Party (PPP) which killed four people and injured scores.
H. Achmad, a Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) official in Semarang, the capital of Central Java, urged Abdurrahman to come to Jepara instead as chairman of the religious organization rather than as a PKB patron.
This was a precaution against a possible repeat of the clashes, and could even help the two parties reconcile, he said.
Achmad further said Nahdlatul Ulama members who happened to be supporters of PPP may be upset if Abdurrahman insisted on coming just for a PKB gathering on Sunday, and if this was the case, Abdurrahman should then postpone the gathering until the tension subsided.
"We are not against his visit, but it would be better if it's postponed. When the situation becomes calm again, Gus Dur is welcome," he said.
Central Java's Muslim figures from both PPP and PKB met and agreed on Wednesday evening to curb violence.
"The political conflict in Central Java that involved PPP and PKB supporters in Jepara was tragic. We hope it won't happen again," Achmad said.
The meeting, held at the house of the Provincial Military Chief Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo, was attended by Governor Mardiyanto, Police Chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi, PPP provincial chapter chairman Thoyfoer, PKB provincial chapter chairman Nur Iskandar Al-Barsany, provincial chapter chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) Sahal Mahfud and several others. Achmad helped mediate the meeting.
An agreement to help maintain security and order during the campaigning between May 19 and June 4 was signed Thursday in the capital city of Ujungpandang by 47 political parties in South Sulawesi.
Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Mudji Santoso who witnessed the signing said: "We hope through this signing the situation in South Sulawesi will be orderly and safe during the electioneering up to the general election." (27/38/aan/edt/har/rms)