Gus Dur meets with Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid visited former president Soeharto at the latter's residence on Jl. Cendana in Central Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon for a belated Idul Fitri get-together.

Abdurrahman said he had also conveyed to Soeharto a special message from Minister of Defense/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, requesting the former president to use his power to stop unrest created by his followers.

"I conveyed Wiranto's hopes to Pak Harto that he would now be ready to use his influence to stop his terrifying followers making chaos," Gus Dur told journalists later on Tuesday at the residence of businessman Setiawan Djodi in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta.

"I also expressed to him my hope that the next general election would proceed well," he pointed out.

Abdurrahman, who is also known as Gus Dur, did not elucidate on Soeharto's response to his statement.

Wiranto met several community leaders including Abdurrahman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and Amien Rais on Sunday, when he reportedly told them he knew who was behind the recent spate of unrest including that last week in Maluku province, when over 50 people were killed. (01)