Much ado over Megawati, women leaders continues

Much ado over Megawati, women leaders continues

JAKARTA (JP): Muslim clerics and students stepped up their
opposition on Friday to Megawati Soekarnoputri's presidential
candidacy, citing Islamic law and saying she was not capable of
leading the country.

At least 52 influential ulemas affiliated with the National
Awakening Party (PKB) -- which is widely known to be an ally of
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) -- declared their rejection of Megawati as president
in Surabaya, East Java. "It would be against Islamic laws... We
therefore call on PKB leaders not to coalesce with PDI
Perjuangan, and to join forces instead with Muslim-based
parties," the ulemas said in their statement.

K.H. Abdul Rachman Hussein Assegaff, head of Pesantren (Muslim
boarding school) Ihya al Sunnah, said the ulemas reached their
decision after two days of deliberation. He cited PDI
Perjuangan's "betrayal of Muslims by naming non-Muslims for 93
percent of all their legislative candidates".

The ulemas planned to submit their position to Nahdlatul Ulama
chairman and founder of PKB Abdurrahman Wahid. They also chided
fellow ulemas in Rembang, Central Java, who said last week they
could accept Megawati as president if the people wanted her.

Earlier, some 50 ulemas from Madura, many of whom are
affiliated to United Development Party (PPP), which has said it
wants a male, Muslim president, declared their rejection of
Megawati, saying she did not have the ability to lead the nation.

In a related development, ten senior ulemas from Nahdlatul
Ulama held a private meeting on the issue of a woman president.
They planned to announce their stance on the matter on July 10.

Meanwhile, around 100 students of the Muslim University of
Indonesia (UMI) took to the streets to voice their opposition to
Megawati becoming president. They claimed to represent 5,000
Muslim students, and said they were continuing a protest staged
by hundreds of students from the Teachers' Training Institute.

The UMI students burned tires and distributed leaflets calling
on Muslims to hold on to their religious teachings. Student
leader Andi Akram in a speech called on Megawati to back down
from her intention to run in the presidential elections.

"She does not have the capability and integrity to be
Indonesia's fourth president," Andi said. "This nation must be
led by someone from the majority religious group. Megawati does
not represent (Muslims)."

Another student leader, Agussalim, said that if Megawati
became president, she might revive her father Sukarno's teaching
of "Nasakom" -- his attempt to merge nationalism, religion and
communism. Muslims at the time fought violently against the
attempt.

South Sulawesi is incumbent President B.J. Habibie's
birthplace and a Golkar stronghold, as shown in the June 7 polls.
In the provincial capital of Ujungpandang, political expert
Kausar Bailusy and Golkar chapter leader Ambo Enre Abdullah
lashed out at some Golkar executives in Jakarta who stated their
intentions to reconsider Habibie's nomination.

The stance "was a denial of the people's sovereignty", Bailusy
said, pointing out that it was precisely Habibie's nomination
that won Golkar the majority of the vote in 15 provinces outside
Java.

Meanwhile, student Agussalim also criticized a group of
Megawati supporters in East Java, who earlier this week declared
their support for her by collecting thumb prints in blood. "Why
did they do such a thing? If necessary, we too can spill some
blood," he said.

Agussalim vowed to continue with the protest until Megawati
"realizes this country is mainly dominated by Muslims and that
she must not let herself be manipulated by people around her."

Meanwhile, in Rembang, noted ulema K.H. Cholil Bisri was
quoted by Antara as calling on Megawati supporters to stop
displaying their support by collecting the bloody thumb prints,
saying the act could raise the potential for conflict.

"We can see how some Muslims strongly reject a woman
president, so if such a display of support continues, then it may
lead to tension and division," he said.

Bisri was in the National Ulema Forum which declared its
support for a woman president, and he is also a respected ulema
of Nahdlatul Ulama.

He called on the political elite to help create a calm and
peaceful atmosphere by not making statements that could lead to
social tension. "I am really worried. There must be a way to
avert something worse from occurring," he said.

"Let us just trust the members of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) to choose our next president," he said.

In Semarang, the capital of Central Java, some 1,000 women
activists from 25 non-governmental organizations marched in a
protest against what they called "intimidation of women". They
were referring particularly to the opposition to Megawati's bid
for presidency.

They took their protest to the office of the provincial
legislature on Jl. Pahlawan, where they voiced their criticism of
the remarks of State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M.
Saefuddin opposing Megawati's presidency.

"His statement was an insult to not only Megawati as a
presidential candidate, but also women in general, who actually
have the right to power and politics," the activists said in
their statement.

"Politicians seem to have negated the existence of women,
using them only as a political commodity because of their
significant presence, namely 57 percent of all voters,"
coordinator Ari Pradanawati said.(27/30/har/nur/swe)