NU chairman launches new political party

NU chairman launches new political party

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, sounded a rallying call yesterday
for the newly founded People's Awakening Party (PKB), declaring
it was an open organization without ethnic or religious
prejudice.

Although the party is not officially affiliated to NU, its
formation signifies the return of senior NU members to formal
politics under a united institution.

Abdurrahman, commonly referred to as Gus Dur, is not on the
executive board of the party, but his enthusiastic backing could
greatly influence voting of the claimed 40-million-strong NU.

During a ceremony inaugurating the party at his residence in
South Jakarta, Abdurrahman pledged the party would rely on an
open-membership recruitment system despite its Moslem-oriented
principles.

He cited a 1935 NU congress in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan,
which issued an important recommendation which subsequently
became the standard for NU members.

"The congress recommended that it is not obligatory for
Indonesian Moslems to establish an Islamic state," he said.

Abdurrahman maintained that Indonesia comprises three major
races: Malay, Austro-Melanesian and Chinese.

He even acknowledged his own Chinese and Arab ancestry. "A
distant ancestor of mine was Chinese. His name is Tan Kim Han."

NU was established in 1926 as a socioreligious organization.
It was formerly a powerful political party before merging with
three other Moslem parties to form the United Development Party
(PPP) in 1973.

In 1984, when Abdurrahman took over the chairmanship from
Idham Chalid, NU severed formal ties with PPP and avoided party
politics. But many senior NU figures have continued to work for
the PPP on an individual basis, while others have joined Golkar
and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Senior NU member Matori Abdul Djalil has been chosen to head
the new party with Alwi Shihab, brother of former religious
affairs minister Quraish Shihab, and PPP legislator Chofifah
Endar Parawansa among the eight deputies.

The post of secretary-general is held by Muhaimin Iskandar, an
NU youth figure and also a nephew of Abdurrahman, and the
treasurer is Imam Churmein.

Deputy chairman of NU's syuriyah (law-making body) Ma'ruf
Amin was elected chairman of the party's supervisory council and
leading NU Central Java member Cholil Bisri as his deputy.

Stressing NU members' commitment to channel their political
aspirations to the new party, Abdurrahman said he was confident
it could win the general election expected in May next year.

"At least NU members, who number in the millions, will vote
for the new party."

Matori Abdul Djalil said the party would be willing to
cooperate with other groups for the betterment of the country.

"The People's Awakening Party is ready to struggle and fight
in the next general election. If necessary, the PKB will be ready
to form a coalition with other political forces."

Observers believe the close ties of Abdurrahman and Indonesian
Democratic Party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri make an
alliance between the two a strong possibility.

The launching received much attention, with a distinguished
guest list including former vice president Try Sutrisno, former
minister of defense and security Edi Sudradjat and former deputy
Army chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Soerjadi.

Both Edi and Try welcomed the establishment of the party but
stopped short of giving their political endorsement.

"We need to support any party which puts nationalism as its
principles. However, I've never recommended to members of Pepabri
(Armed Forces Pensioners Association) this party," Edi said,
adding that he attended the event in his personal capacity.

Try said people should respect the establishment of any party
with nationalist platforms.

Support also came from Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid, who
said it was a good development for NU members to have their own
political party.

Speaking in Yogyakarta, he said the party must be able to
accommodate aspirations of all NU members if it wished to emerge
as a major political contender.

He also predicted the party would probably be more successful
than the National Mandate Party, led by Muhammadiyah Moslem
organization chairman Amien Rais, which will be launched on Aug.
1. (imn/23/43)