Nahdlatul Ulama leadership race hots up

SEMARANG (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leaders urged on Thursday that outgoing chief President Abdurrahman Wahid refrain from intervening at the upcoming congress to elect a new chairman later this month.

"If Abdurrahman interferes, it certainly will affect the democratization and maturation process of NU members," Ali Mufiz, an influential NU cleric and chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) in Central Java, said here on Thursday.

Ali, however, said that he believed Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, would not meddle in the congress.

"I also believe he will not interfere with the chairman's election. Gus Dur is a democratic father," Ali said.

Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) in Central Java Noer Iskandar Al-Barsany concurred: "I'm sure Gus Dur will not mess with the NU chairmanship."

Abdurrahman is scheduled to open the week-long NU congress in his capacity as President at Lirboyo Islamic boarding school in Kediri, East Java, on Nov. 21.

During the event, NU leaders will elect a chairman to replace Abdurrahman, who has been at the NU helm for 15 years. The congress will also elect a new chairman of the Syuriyah (law making body), a post which is currently held by Ilyas Ruchiyat.

Influential NU cleric Mustofa Bisri, East Java NU chapter chairman Hasyim Muzadi, noted scholar Said Aqiel Siradj and NU deputy chairman Fadjrul Falaakh have been touted as the strongest contenders for NU's top post.

In addition to Mustofa Bisri, NU members in Central Java also named Abdurrahman's uncle, Kyai Sahal Mahfud, to run for the chairmanship.

Politics

Despite expressions of confidence that Abdurrahman would not exert presidential influence during the meeting, Noer Iskandar, who is better known as Gus Nur, said in Purwokerto, Central Java, that there would likely be a move by a small group of NU members to highlight the need for strict adherence of the organization's 1926 khittoh (statute).

The khittoh clearly states that NU members must stay away from politics.

This pledge was renewed in 1984, the year Abdurrahman was elected NU chairman.

However, during the reform era NU played a major political role. The organization gave its blessing to the formation of the National Awakening Party (PKB), with several other smaller splinter parties being set up.

The PKB finished third in the June 7 general election with 12.61 percent of the vote and 51 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR).

Iskandar said that during the congress, the khittoh should be given a wider interpretation, thus allowing the PKB to have a stronger "constitutional basis within NU".

"This way, NU members can clearly channel its aspirations to the PKB, because that is the party which has the NU's blessing," he said.

"It doesn't mean that NU members can't support other parties, but it will be PKB that has the blessing and is allowed by NU."

Iskandar suggested that certain groups, probably originating from the splinter political parties such as the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and the Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU), wanted to reassert the Khittoh in an attempt to undermine the PKB.

"I've spotted a conspiracy within small groups in NU," Iskandar said.

Both Iskandar and Said Aqiel Siradj separately said they were ready to assume the NU leadership mantle.

"My personal choice is Kyai Hasyim Muzadi, but if nominated I'd be ready," Said said in Semarang.

Iskandar claimed that he had already obtained the support of NU branches in Central Java.

"I also suggested a debate between prospective candidates in the coming congress," he said. (45/har/edt)