Local Nahdlatul Ulama leader forms new political party

SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): Cholil Bisri, a leader of a local chapter of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, has said he is ready to set up a new political party called the Community Awakening Party.

He said that the party would be officially proclaimed on Aug. 17.

Several NU chapter leaders agreed to set up a political party earlier this month during a meeting at the Raudhatul Thalibien Islamic boarding school in the Central Java town of Rembang despite strong assertions from other chapters and the NU central leadership that NU would stay out of politics.

"NU members must use this golden opportunity to raise themselves and struggle for a better life through this party," Cholil said Sunday night.

"I'm optimistic that this NU party will become big ... In the next election it can get about 15 percent of the votes," he boasted.

NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid however said in Jakarta yesterday that NU members should await the board's directive on the issue.

"There will be a directive from the central board," Abdurrahman said without elaborating further.

However he asserted that the organization would never become a political party again.

NU was established in 1926 as a socioreligious organization. It soon evolved into a strong political entity, first as a political party and later as a faction within the United Development Party (PPP) which was a fusion of several Moslem parties.

In 1984, NU broke away from PPP out of disappointment over party executives' policies and vowed it would shun politics.

Abdurrahman however admitted that NU's followers may have individual political aspirations so they may, as individuals, set up parties.

But, he said, the party must not be sectarian in nature.

"It must be a free and open party," Abdurrahman told reporters at his house in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

NU leaders in Riau province shared Abdurrahman's opinion, saying that the new political party should not be founded on behalf of NU.

The secretary-general of the local NU chapter, Hurmain, said the organization was consistent in its commitment to shun political activities. (har/byg)