Habibie pays social call on ailing Abdurrahman Wahid
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie paid an informal visit yesterday on the ailing chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, at the latter's residence in Ciganjur subdistrict, South Jakarta.
NU deputy chairman Arifin Junaidi confirmed the President's visit but said no discussion of political issues took place between him and the Moslem scholar, popularly known as Gus Dur.
"President B.J. Habibie came at 4:30 p.m. today but did not say anything about politics," Arifin told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
"Pak Habibie only chatted with Gus Dur about each other's health."
At one point, Arifin said, the President quipped that Gus Dur was still more fortunate because he was permitted to eat larger portions than he could due to a calorie-restricted diet.
"You can still eat 1,700 calories every day, while I can have only 1,200 calories per day," Habibie reportedly said.
Habibie was accompanied by Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung. Also present were Gus Dur's wife Siti Nuriyah and two of his younger siblings.
Arifin recounted that yesterday's visit was Habibie's third to the Moslem scholar since the latter regained consciousness after undergoing brain surgery on Jan. 20 of this year for a stroke.
"The first and second visits were made at the hospital after Gus Dur regained consciousness," Arifin said.
The leader of the 30-million-strong organization was rushed to the hospital on the night of Jan. 19 after he collapsed in a bathroom at the NU headquarters a few hours after addressing a breaking-of-the-fast gathering.
Arifin said Gus Dur told Habibie that he had lost 30 kilograms after returning home from the hospital.
Habibie took over the presidency from Soeharto last Thursday in a brief ceremony that stunned the nation. Habibie has since been under the full glare of both local and international media, while his predecessor has virtually disappeared from the public eye.
Soeharto's half-brother Probosutedjo and eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana have both said the 77-year-old is in good health and is continuing regular golf rounds and jogging.
Yesterday, Soeharto performed the Friday prayer at a mosque inside Taman Mini park in East Jakarta. He was accompanied by Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Syafrie Syamsuddin. After the prayer, he shook hands with other worshipers.
Attendants said Soeharto looked cheerful and smiled a lot, especially to children who scrambled to get near him.
Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, was spotted praying at the Sunda Kelapa Mosque in Central Jakarta. (imn/byg)