Nahdlatul Ulama backs Soeharto's renomination

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has said it is confident President Soeharto will lead the country through a smooth leadership transfer.

Chairman Abdurrahman Wahid told Friday a regional conference of Nahdlatul Ulama in Kediri, East Java, that as a socio- religious organization, the NU did not concern itself with political matters such as the election of the president and vice president.

"(We) realize that the election (of a new president) is fully the responsibility of the People's Consultative Assembly members who will discuss it in the assembly next March," said Abdurrahman, who is better known as Gus Dur.

"Members of NU certainly support Pak Harto to lead Indonesia through a safe, peaceful and smooth succession," Abdurrahman was quoted as saying by Suara Pembaruan daily.

Abdurrahman conceded that many people believe that the NU, which has some 30 million members, supports the renomination of President Soeharto for another term, 1998 to 2003.

"This support, however, is not absolute," said Abdurrahman, who is considered by many to be an astute politician.

"What is clear is that we believe Pak Harto will be able to lead the succession," he said.

"Whether the succession takes place in 1998 or 2003, that is not for Nahdlatul Ulama to say."

Nahdlatul Ulama is considered one of the most important political bases in Indonesia. The ex-political party now officially shuns politics, although it allows its individual members to choose any political affiliation.

But in practice the organization is sometimes persuaded into displaying support for political figures.

Its West Java branch, for instance, has shown its support for the nomination of Minister of Defense Edi Sudradjat as a vice presidential candidate.

Abdurrahman, however, said again that Nahdlatul Ulama did not have any interests linked to any particular figure, and would, therefore, not name any candidates.

"However, as a social organization, Nahdlatul Ulama would like it if the next vice president came from among the civilian population... well, as a change from candidates from the Armed Forces," Abdurrahman was quoted by Antara as saying.

But he conceded that this wish would probably not be easily realized because since the New Order administration began there have only been two prominent civilians: House Speaker Harmoko and State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

"Looks like we'll have to accept (political observer) Juwono Sudarsono's statement that the next vice president should still be someone from the Armed Forces," he said. (swe)