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)