Gus Dur gathers support to retain NU post
Gus Dur gathers support to retain NU post
JAKARTA (JP): The chief of Nahdlatul Ulama Abdurrahman Wahid,
Indonesia's largest socio-educational organization, has secured
enough support to retain the top NU spot.
The supporters of Gus Dur, as he is popularly known, say that
his leadership style, a blend of intellectual and religious
outlooks, is relevant to meet the future challenges facing NU.
The 34 million member organization will elect its new board of
executives in its upcoming congress in the West Java town of
Tasikmalaya, West Java, early next month.
Matori Abdul Djalil, a senior NU member, said that the socio-
educational organization currently has no leader better than Gus
Dur.
"Gus Dur has successfully made NU the heart and mind of the
nation and he still deserves the post," Matori told journalists
on Monday.
Matori, a legislator representing the Moslem-based United
Development Party (PPP), said Abdurrahman's leadership style and
his vision are still relevant.
"I am sure he (Abdurrahman) will be re-elected unless there is
external intervention," said the former PPP secretary general.
Matori said Abdurrahman has cleverly changed NU from an
organization that tends primarily to Moslem interests into one
which puts the national interests above all.
Some NU leaders in the provinces have also voiced their
support for Abdurrahman's re-election. Chief of Central
Sulawesi's NU chapter, Rajulaeni Lahamado, is one of those.
"Gus Dur is our number one candidate because we like his
leadership style," he told Antara.
Perfect
He said Abdurrahman is the perfect example of a future Moslem
leader who meets the criteria of being religious, knowledgeable
and in possession of unquestionable nationalistic commitment.
"A Moslem figure of his caliber is hard to find," he said.
He added, however, that Central Sulawesi has three alternative
candidates that he would field in the congress in case
Abdurrahman refuses to run for chairmanship for whatever reason.
They are Khalid Mawardi, Abdu Hasan and Fahmi Saifuddin.
Meanwhile, ulemas from various provinces are split on whether
the congress should review its 1984 policy to withdraw from
formal politics and refocus its activities on socio-educational
missions.
Several senior ulemas interested in pushing the former
political party back into politics have insisted that the
congress review its policies.
But others, including Abdurrahman, reject the demand on the
grounds that NU should focus on its socio-educational mission, as
its founders intended in 1926. Each member is free to affiliate
with the political party of their choice.
The West Java NU chapter chairman Dudung Abdul Halim is among
those who oppose the proposal to review the 1984 no-politics
policy. (pan)