Nahdlatul Ulama leadership race hots up

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)