NU chairman plays down rival's exit

NU chairman plays down rival's exit

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Abdurrahman
Wahid is playing down the resignation of Yusuf Hasyim from the
organization's advisory board.

"No problem, really. One board member has resigned and the
others remain loyal," he told reporters on Thursday.

Hasyim, Abdurrahman's uncle, this week announced his
resignation from the advisory board, less than one month after
his appointment.

Hasyim said he resigned because the selection of NU executive
board members was not, by the Islamic socio-religious
organization's standards, democratic, provoking protests and
worsening the internal bickering.

Another reason for his resignation is Abdurrahman's possible
prosecution for accusing his rival in last month's chairmanship
race, Abu Hasan, of accepting a kickback of US$18 million from
Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port development.

On Abu's threat to sue him, Abdurrahman said he was ready to
face trial, and that several lawyers had offered to defend him
free of charge.

"Yes, I have heard that he (Abu) has filed a complaint with
the police but I haven't received any notice on anything from the
authorities," he said.

Abu, who has set up a rival NU executive board, filed the
complaint with the police headquarters here early this week,
saying that Abdurrahman's accusation amounted to slander. (pan)