Gus Dur must represent NU in MPR: Amien

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais has thrown his support behind Abdurrahman Wahid's nomination to serve in the People's Consultative Assembly despite the rejection of the General Elections Commission (KPU).

"Abdurrahman Wahid chairs the biggest Muslim mass organization in Indonesia (Nahdlatul Ulama)," Amien said on Tuesday when asked to explain his support for the nomination.

The commission's Team-15, which must verify nominees for the next Assembly, rejected on Monday the nomination of Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, as one of the 65 representatives of interest groups.

It contended that Abdurrahman, as a founder of the National Awakening Party (PKB), would be biased toward the party.

A KPU regulation stipulates that only people whose political aspirations are not channeled in political parties can qualify to represent interest groups in the next Assembly.

Separately, chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz urged the commission to respect Abdurrahman's nomination.

"It is undisputable, Gus Dur is the most suitable representative from NU because he is the person most responsible for the largest Muslim organization," Hamzah said at PPP headquarters in Central Jakarta.

Amien and Hamzah are leading figures in a coalition known as the "central axis", which has nominated Abdurrahman as an alternative presidential candidate. The axis is a loose coalition of PAN plus eight Muslim-based political parties

Amien said the central axis group was more solid now and a majority of its members would support Abdurrahman's nomination as presidential candidate.

"Between 70 percent to 80 percent have declared their readiness to nominate Gus Dur while the rest of is still considering it," he said.

The central axis was formed around two months ago.

It will be a force to be reckoned with if the PKB, which continues to back Megawati Soekarnoputri for president, breaks ranks and joins the axis.

With the PKB's 54 seats, the axis could have about 174 elected seats in the 700-member People's Consultative Assembly.

Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has 154 seats and the Golkar Party 120. (rms)