Hasyim is Gus Dur's man, ulemas say
KEDIRI, East Java (JP): Hasyim Muzadi's election as chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) was cautiously welcomed by local and foreign observers on Friday, with some noting the victory attested to Abdurrahman Wahid's secure hold on the Muslim organization.
Political observer Fachry Ali said Hasyim's election indicated Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, continued to wield strong influence in the organization because the new chairman was closely linked to the President.
"Hasyim's election means Gus Dur is still really leading NU," said the lecturer of Hidayatullah Islamic Teaching Institute in Jakarta.
"I'm not saying Gus Dur intervened in the election, but I think he needs political support from NU which can be given with Hasyim as leader."
Fachry said the organization could become stronger due to its close relationship with the President.
"NU will have strong bargaining power with the government and political parties, especially the National Awakening Party (PKB), if Hasyim and his close fellow ulemas succeed in maintaining NU's independence."
An observer of the organization from France's national scientific research center (CNRS), Andre Feillard, said Hasyim was fit to lead due to his close ties with Abdurrahman.
"Hasyim has great potential to engage in lobbying with the President to fight for the organization's interests," she said.
"It now all depends on how he will lead the organization, and deploy a human and religious approach with all figures outside the organization."
She warned that Hasyim faced a heavy task in implementing all the congress' recommendations.
"The new executive board under Hasyim has been recommended to promote democracy and human rights, weed out corruption, including the ones involving former president Soeharto, his family and cronies and the issue of the planned trade relations between Indonesia and Israel.
"Hasyim must be able to lobby the government to listen to NU's aspirations. If the President fails to accommodate NU's aspirations, he could lose support for his government from Muslims in the country."
A political observer from Airlangga University in Surabaya, Kacung Maridjan, praised Hasyim as a leader with strong managerial skills who could help improve the quality of human resources in NU and empower Muslims in economic matters.
"I support Hasyim's priority to give more attention to the poor mostly living in rural areas. He should enhance personal ties with NU figures living in Jakarta and outside of Java to seek support in developing the organization and its programs."
He warned that Hasyim's close links with PKB could make it difficult for him to develop close personal contact with NU figures who were active in other political organizations, including the Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP).
He also acknowledged that Hasyim's close relationship with Abdurrahman could temper NU criticism of the government.
"But I think Hasyim will be able to play his role wisely in developing lobbying with the government for NU's interests, as he did in the past in East Java," he said.
Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, M. Mahfud of the Indonesian Islamic University brushed off fears over the close relationship between Abdurrahman and Hasyim.
"I don't think it will matter. Yes they are close personally, but all the other people around Hasyim can continue to be critical," he told The Jakarta Post.
"The younger generation of NU are very smart and critical...They will represent the organization as a critical voice towards the government even if the chairman ends up not being to critical".(nur/rms/23)