Mustofa, Hasyim tipped to take on top NU job

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)