Matori told to meet Gus Dur

Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Hasyim Muzadi urged Matori Abdul Djalil, the former chairman of National Awakening Party (PKB), to have a dialog with the party's board of patrons head Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid for the sake of reconciliation.

"If Gus Dur previously did not want reconciliation with Matori, I do not think it absolutely means Gus Dur will reject him if Matori requests a meeting," Hasyim said on the sidelines of a discussion on the Roles of Religious Institutions and Leaders in Strengthening the Political System towards Democracy on Friday.

Gus Dur once said that reconciliation between Matori and PKB was impossible because of Matori's two major mistakes -- violating the party's decision to freeze the PKB in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and establishing a splinter central executive board within the party.

Hasyim said that Matori, who is the current Minister of Defense in the new Cabinet, could come to Gus Dur with PKB chairman Alwi Shihab.

"Maybe a compromise could be a better way for them rather than continuing the existing conflicts in the party," Hasyim told The Jakarta Post.

Following the downfall of Gus Dur from the presidency in August, an internal dispute emerged in PKB as Matori decided unilaterally to oppose the party decision and attend the Assembly's Special Session in July of this year.

Gus Dur then decided to replace Matori as chairman of PKB with Alwi, the former minister of foreign affairs. The party also decided to assign Abdul Cholik Achmad as the deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly, replacing Matori.

Matori, however, brushed off the decision. Along with his loyalists, he reportedly will hold a national meeting on Nov. 12.

Hasyim believed that Gus Dur would accept Matori in search of a solution over the problems.

He, however, admitted that NU would not give any suggestion to the party whether the compromise should be held prior to the request from PKB itself, saying that "NU will not interfere in the party."

"Of course the existing conflict in the party has affected the NU followers as their political aspirations are being somewhat neglected due to the weakness of the party. In other regions, especially, PKB's political position is weak," Hasyim said.

"The other problem that weakens the party is the vacant post for the deputy Assembly speaker. It severely lessens its power of political bargaining," Hasyim added.

Commenting on Matori's accusation that the NU was infiltrated by several hardliners while the organization held a series of rallies to defend Gus Dur against his political enemies, Hasyim said: "It was a groundless accusation."

Meanwhile, several PKB members have reportedly started arriving in Jakarta to attend a Matori-backed meeting. They come from several branches in Probolinggo, Situbondo, Bondowoso and other cities in Madura, East Java.

Rumors said that they were backed by Mutawakil Alallah of the Probolinggo-based Genggong Islamic boarding school and Fawaid Syamsul Arifin of the Situbondo-based Syafiiyah Asembagus Islamic boarding school.

Mutawakil is a Muslim cleric who was defeated by Choirul Anam, a Gus Dur loyalist, in the race to become chairman of the PKB regional branch in East Java last month.