Hardiyanti denies deflating PPP

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar deputy chairwoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana has denied forming alliance with influential Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid to deflate the minority United Development Party (PPP).

"I'm close to (Abdurrahman Wahid) because we're both Moslems who are supposed to maintain good ties, and any Moslem would do the same thing," she said.

A statement released by Hardiyanti, more commonly known as Tutut, echoed comments Abdurrahman made Monday on whether he had been waging a campaign against PPP by inviting Golkar leaders to meet thousands of members of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization which he chairs.

Hardiyanti delivered a speech in Pandeglang, West Java, Tuesday at a ceremony marking the construction of a building for another Moslem organization, Mathlaul Anwar.

"We shouldn't be making mountains out of this question, because Golkar, PPP or PDI (the Indonesian Democratic Party) are all national assets. We should remain united," Hardiyanti was quoted by Antara as saying.

She insisted that she had no intention to undermine any parties, and much less, in her position as deputy chairwoman of Golkar, to hold premature campaign electioneering.

But she conceded that each of the three general election contestants wished to seek public sympathy now that the May 29 polls are drawing near.

"It's normal that each of the contestants want to canvass as many votes as possible. But the efforts to do so have to be conducted within the proper context and should follow the rules of the game," she said.

"Let the public themselves decide because I believe people's political awareness has now reached a stage of maturity," she added.

Abdurrahman, whose organization boasts 30 million followers mostly in rural areas, had denied PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum's accusation that his newly-founded closeness with Hardiyanti meant he was giving Golkar political aid to penetrate the Moslem-based party's strongholds.

Ismail had expressed strong suspicion that Abdurrahman's close relations with Hardiyanti were likely to reduce PPP votes in the May 29 general elections, especially in the party's strongholds in Java.

"Whether or not he realized it, Abdurrahman has deflated PPP in its election preparations," Ismail said.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, escorted Tutut to a meeting with members of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization. Their appearances in public had triggered speculation of new political alliances.

In the past two years, Abdurrahman was thought to have formed a political entente with Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Twist

The discussion on whether Abdurrahman and Hardiyanti wished to deflate PPP took a strange twist after party secretary-general Tosari Wijaya released a statement saying that he did not believe it was so.

"I don't think that Gus Dur became close to Tutut because they wanted to deflate PPP," he was quoted by Antara as saying Tuesday in Medan.

"I am taking a different stance on this issue from (Ismail Hasan Metareum). I'm not sure that NU members will automatically vote for Golkar because of Gus Dur's activities, because the nahdliyin (NU members) are already politically mature."

Tosari is a member of NU. "I find it difficult to just abandon PPP," he said. (swe)