Habibie pays social call on ailing Abdurrahman Wahid
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)