Gus Dur in intensive care after brain surgery

JAKARTA (JP): Get well messages poured in, including from President Soeharto and Vice President Try Sutrisno, as family and friends waited anxiously for news of Abdurrahman Wahid's condition after he underwent three hours of brain surgery yesterday to stop internal bleeding.

A statement issued by the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive board yesterday evening said the three-hour surgery which began at 10 a.m. "went as expected".

Doctors and relatives refused to elaborate further on the influential scholar's latest medical condition after the operation or whether he had regained consciousness.

Dr. Hermansyur Kartowisatro, one of the team of doctors treating Abdurrahman, merely said that "he is now under observation in the intensive care unit."

There was no explanation on the cause of the illness but relatives said that he had been suffering from diabetes and lacked discipline in controlling his diet.

Abdurrahman, chairman of the 30-million-strong NU Moslem organization, was rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta Monday night after he collapsed and fell unconscious in the bathroom of the NU headquarters.

Throughout the day yesterday, the intensive care unit at the hospital saw a rotation of prominent figures coming and going to visit and pray for Abdurrahman.

Two guest books at the hospital were filled with names such as former legislator Bambang Warih Koesoemo, Catholic priest I. Sandyawan and National Human Rights Commission member Asmara Nababan.

Also seen visiting were Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher, Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja and senior Muhammadiyah figure Muslim Abdulrahman.

Several bouquets of flowers for Abdurrahman were also seen around the intensive care unit, one of them a yellow, purple and white orchid arrangement from President Soeharto.

A fruit basket from Try Sutrisno was also placed near Abdurrahman's room which is located at the very end of the corridor of the ward.

Yesterday evening, ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, arrived for a visit. She stayed one hour in the room where Abdurrahman's wife remained by her husband.

"I can't comment but I believe his condition is quite critical," she said later. "Of course I'm quite concerned," added Megawati who is known to have close ties with Abdurrahman.

Less than 15 minutes after she left, former PDI legislator Sabam Sirait arrived to visit but was not allowed into Abdurrahman's room by hospital officials who said only family members were allowed.

He then sat outside in the waiting room with other relatives and friends.

State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja also came and joined Sabam in the waiting room after reading a notice which prohibited nonfamily members to enter.

Separately, Golkar chairman Harmoko said he was praying for Abdurrahman's immediate recovery. "I hope that Gus Dur will soon recover and return back to his office again," he told reporters after chairing a weekly leadership meeting at the House of Representatives (DPR).

"He has a vision for the future. And he always thinks realistically," said Harmoko who claimed to be personally close to the NU chairman, who is commonly known as Gus Dur.

A staff member at the NU secretariat, Somad, said yesterday that he received at least 50 telephone calls from local and foreign journalists and Gus Dur's friends and relatives asking whether the NU chairman had died.

"All of them surprisingly asked whether Gus Dur was already dead," he said.

Known as an influential commentator on political and social issues, Abdurrahman, 57, also chairs the Democracy Forum, an organization which includes prominent government critics.

Abdurrahman's illness comes at a time of heightened fears of civil unrest due to the severe economic crisis which has seen rising unemployment and food prices.

Meanwhile the NU executive board yesterday afternoon held a meeting to appoint Khafid Usman, current head of the executive board, as NU acting chief until Abdurrahman's recovery.

A NU statement urged members "not to be easily provoked" by rumors which might cause unrest. (10/imn/mds)