Gus Dur tells NU not to back Megawati

Gus Dur tells NU not to back Megawati

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid says he has prohibited leaders
and members of his 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama from
supporting presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri of
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

"All functionaries and supporters of NU must abide by my
prohibition," Abdurrahman told a meeting on Monday with leaders
of Muslim-based political parties including Amien Rais of
National Mandate Party (PAN), Yusril Ihza Mahendra of Crescent
and Star Party (PBB), Nur Mahmudi Ismail of Justice Party,
Muhaimin Iskandar of National Awakening Party (PKB), Zarkasih
Nur and Faisal Baasir of United Development Party (PPP).

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, also reaffirmed his
willingness to be nominated president by the political parties
grouped in the new political alliance known as the "axis force."

Amien Rais initiated the force in a bid to offset the growing
political tensions resulting from stiff competition between
Megawati, whose PDI Perjuangan won the June 7 poll with 33.7
percent of the votes, and Golkar's presidential candidate
incumbent B.J. Habibie.

Abdurrahman founded the PKB, whose chairman Matori Abdul
Djalil supported a Megawati presidency as there was the
possibility of him becoming vice president.

Separately, Antara quoted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid as
saying that if serious, Abdurrahman's willingness would
strengthen the axis force. "Though I don't really know, because
there are some internal problems in the PKB as Matori supports
Megawati," said Nurcholish following a ceremony to install him as
chief researcher of humanitarian studies at the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

"If Gus Dur is not just joking, the way he usually does, then
this willingness can generate a great support for himself,"
Nurcholish.

Amien also expressed his confidence that his alliance was
gaining strength, especially in the face of "money politics"
allegations involving both PDI Perjuangan and the ruling Golkar
Party.

The media has been running stories of the alleged involvement
of Golkar leaders, including Habibie, in the Bank Bali interbank
debt scandal, as well as allegations that PDI Perjuangan had
received a poll donation of Rp 500 billion from Lippo Bank, which
is far above the permitted amount of Rp 150 million from
companies.

Forum Keadilan in its latest edition explored the issue of
money politics, citing details of the personal assets of
individual presidential candidates. Matori, for instance,
reportedly has four plots of land in two villages in Semarang,
and two cars: a 1993 Honda Civic and a 1998 Opel Blazer.

Amien Rais, a professor on leave from the Gadjah Mada
University in Yogyakarta, has a plot of land on which his house
and a kindergarten stand, plus three cars from 1995, 1994 and
1997 make.

Akbar Tandjung, the chairman of Golkar, has two houses in
Bogor and in Jakarta, four cars, shares in a company, and a
deposit of Rp 1.5 billion.

Megawati reportedly has eight houses including her mansion in
South Jakarta's Pasar Minggu district and five others in Tebet
Timur, also in South Jakarta. She and her husband Taufik Kiemas
also own six gas stations, three sedans and three Kijang vans.
Their employees use 20 motorcycles and 20 cars.

Forum, quoting unknown sources, blamed the recent outburst
of revelations of possible money politics practices on
competition between the Indonesian Military's Strategic
Intelligence Body (Bais) and State Intelligence Coordination Body
(BAKIN).

Benazir

Meanwhile, Megawati got a boost from her personal acquaintance
Benazir Bhutto. The former prime minister of Pakistan and current
leader of the Pakistan's People Party wrote in Far Eastern
Economic Review that: "It would be, quite simply, wrong for
reactionary forces to focus on gender and deny Indonesians a
popular, competent and deserving leader.

"And if the international community allows this to happen
through silence, it would be, more simply, tragic," she said in a
piece titled "Let Megawati Lead."

She wrote that despite winning the popular mandate, Megawati's
claim to the presidency is being seriously threatened by outdated
views of Islam, outdated views of gender and by fear of democracy
itself."

Indonesian ulemas, including those grouped in Nahdlatul Ulama,
have opposed Megawati's presidency on the grounds of both her
gender and perceived incompetence.

Observers speculated that if Abdurrahman Wahid reversed his
support for Megawati, ulemas in both NU and other organizations
would come out in greater force in their opposition to the eldest
daughter of founding president Sukarno. (swe/06)