Mustofa, Hasyim tipped to take on top NU job

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chapter here tipped Mustofa Bisri and Hasyim Muzadi on Wednesday as the leading candidates to take over from Abdurrahman Wahid as chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization.

Mustofa, better known as Gus Mus, is an influential Muslim cleric from Rembang in Central Java. He is also a poet and author.

Hasyim chairs the NU's East Java chapter.

Secretary of Yogyakarta's NU chapter, Nuruddin Amin, said NU members in the sultanate town opted for representatives from either Central Java or East Java to replace Abdurrahman, affectionately called Gus Dur, who was elected president on Oct. 20.

Nuruddin said NU followers in Central Java and Yogyakarta have supported the nomination of Abdurrahman's uncle Sahal Mahfud as chairman of the organization's Syuriah law-making body.

But the Yogyakarta chapter would try to prevent a provincial chapter from winning a clean sweep of executive and legislative posts, he said.

"We will vote for Hasyim if Sahal is certain of securing the NU Syuriah chairmanship in place of Ilyas Ruchiyat," Nuruddin said.

"Conversely, if Mustofa gains an upper hand, we will support a candidate for the top Syuriah post other than Sahal, such as Ilyas Ruchiyat."

The 35 million-strong NU will hold its 30th congress to elect a new chairman at Lirboyo Islamic boarding school in Kediri, East Java, from Nov. 21 to Nov. 27.

Abdurrahman has mentioned four prospective candidates to replace him. They are Mustofa, Hasyim, noted scholar Said Aqiel Siradj and NU deputy chairman Fadjrul Falaakh.

"I personally think that Fadjrul is a part-timer instead of a contender," Nuruddin said.

Yogyakarta wields 35 votes in the upcoming election, with 28 representatives from the province's four regency branches and seven representatives of NU's provincial office. (44/edt)