Gus Dur's tours

Gus Dur's tours

From Media Indonesia

I am encouraged to criticize President Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, after he said at the opening of the 30th congress of Nahdlatul Ulama at the Lirboyo pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Kediri, East Java, that he would be happy to receive criticism from the community.

There are several things I do not understand about Gus Dur's goodwill mission to a number of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and the Middle East.

First, were those trips that urgent? Many problems at home need to be solved immediately by Gus Dur, including Aceh, Ambon, Riau, Makassar and Irian Jaya. Gus Dur has created the impression that he is giving precedence to his goodwill visits instead of solving internal problems. Is this consistent?

Second, to what extent did the goodwill tours influence the settlement of the problems at home? The journeys certainly required substantial financing. Where did the funds come from if not from the people? People live pathetic lives full of misery while Gus Dur made world tours using the people's money. Is this just?

Nevertheless, the little people continue to hope that upon his homecoming Gus Dur will greatly improve people's lives and that he will find solutions for all the problems at home and safeguard the nation's unity and integrity.

RIADI MALIK

Jakarta