Internal NU split widens as Hasyim endorsed VP

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The split in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) ranks widened on Friday after the central board of the country's largest Muslim organization gave its blessing to NU leader Hasyim Muzadi to contest the presidential race.

"We permit NU leader Hasyim Muzadi to take a stance on current political developments, including offers for him to run for president or vice president in the upcoming election," his deputy Ahmad Bagdja said.

Hasyim has been touted as a possible running mate of President Megawati Soekarnoputri and other hopefuls in the July 5 election presidential election.

The support for Hasyim's bid came just two days after influential NU clerics, or Kyai Khos, reaffirmed their endorsement for the nomination of Hasyim's predecessor, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, as their presidential candidate.

The noted clerics -- including Abdullah Faqih, Abdullah Abbas and Fachruddin Masturo -- met in Lombok on Wednesday. They also gave Gus Dur a mandate to select his running mate.

The National Awakening Party (PKB), founded by the NU, also nominated Gus Dur for the presidency and plans a plenary meeting on April 25 to select his running mate.

It is unlikely Gus Dur will pair up with Hasyim as the relationship between the two has been strained for months due to their differing political views.

The support for Hasyim was decided in an NU plenary session attended by influential members of its law-making body (syuriah) and executive board (tanfidziah), including Sahal Mahfudz, Gus Dur's younger brother Solahuddin Wahid, Mustofa "Gus Mus" Bisri and scholar Masdar F. Mas'udi.

Bagdja declined to reveal which parties had offered candidacies to Hasyim, who did not attend the announcement.

Apparently responding to the Kyai Khos meeting, Bagdja said his 40 million-strong organization would allow other figures to compete in the direct presidential election as individuals, although they would not have the NU's official stamp of approval.

From Friday, the NU would no longer recognize the legitimacy of the Kyai Khos as such a term "has only created polarization among NU ulema," Bagdja said.

Any forum held by ulema without the endorsement of the NU central board should be considered merely "a gathering" and the conclusions it made would not bind the organization, he said.

"We wanted to clarify that the NU had never nominated Gus Dur for the president (in 1999) but had just allowed him to compete for the position if the country needed him. Now we are granting a similar right to Hasyim in his capacity as NU leader," Bagdja said.

The PKB has authorized the near-blind Gus Dur to appoint an alternative candidate to take his place in case he is prevented from contesting the presidency due to his physical disabilities.

Meanwhile, Golkar Party leader Akbar Tandjung hinted at a possible coalition with the PKB in the presidential election -- on the condition Gus Dur agreed not to run for president.

PKB deputy Mahfud MD has been quoted by Antara as saying a "certain party" offered the PKB a vice presidential post and five ministerial positions should the PKB back its presidential candidate.