Gus Dur must represent NU in MPR: Amien
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)