Miffed Gus Dur blasts KPU over ban on presidential bid

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta

Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid severely criticized the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Saturday for banning him from contesting the presidency on medical grounds, saying he would be nonactive in his political party.

The nearly blind former president said he would leave the National Awakening Party (PKB) to determine its own political moves after the KPU made its decision official later this month.

"The commission has disclosed medical records of presidential and vice presidential candidates, including mine, and said that I failed to satisfy one of the requirements because I cannot see," Gus Dur told a media conference.

He said the commission was "discriminatory and unconstitutional" by blocking his presidential bid.

"It is such a joke for me, even though I do understand that the commission was serious about this. They have no legitimacy to decide whether or not I am eligible to run for the presidency."

In the conference, Gus Dur was accompanied only by his daughter, Zanuba Arifah Chafsoh Rahman, PKB deputy chairperson Khofifah Indar Parawansa and secretary-general of the party law- making body Arif Junaidi.

Gus Dur said the KPU did not have a standard by which to determine the state of heath of all presidential hopefuls; neither did the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).

"Why can't I ask for a second opinion about such a medical matter from other independent doctors?" asked Gus Dur, also a prominent cleric from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) -- the country's largest Muslim organization.

"If the commission sets a requirement on our physical state of health, why don't they refer us to the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) to give us its opinion on our mental state of health?" he added in an emotional tone.

Gus Dur said he would file a complaint with the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) to help revoke the KPU decision.

Earlier in Yogyakarta, he was quoted by Antara as saying he would sue the commission should it go ahead with its decision.

Gus Dur said he would temporarily quit as the PKB board chairman in protest against the ban. It was up to the PKB to decide its political stance on the presidential election on July 5, he added.

There was no official word from PKB executive leaders on Saturday. However, Gus Dur's decision would force the PKB to choose one of its three contingency plans: to coalesce with other political parties, to support other pairings of presidential candidates or to serve as an opposition party.

The law on elections approved last year requires all presidential candidates to pass a grueling, seven-hour physical and mental examination, including a sight test.

Gus Dur was unseated from power by the People's Consultative Assembly in 2001 for alleged incompetence. Rival politicians suggested that his erratic decisions in running the country were due to his partial blindness and a long history of ill health, including several strokes.

He warned that he could not take responsibility if people reacted unfavorably against the decision to bar his candidacy, while demanding the KPU change its decision by next week.

"I am not threatening the KPU but I'm simply saying there may be an unfavorable reaction. Let's wait and see what will happen."

Separately, commission member Anas Urbaningrum refused on Saturday to confirm the result of the medical test on Gus Dur.

"The announcement of whether pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates are eligible for the election will be on May 22," he said.

Anas said all candidates had until May 21 to complete candidacy requirements as set by the commission.