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)