NU chief Hasyim supportingly critical of President Abdurrahman

NU chief Hasyim supportingly critical of President Abdurrahman

JAKARTA (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi
criticized President Abdurrahman Wahid's inner circle palace
aides for their incompetence in establishing an effective public
relations campaign for the President.

Without naming any officials, Hasyim said the presidential
aides had failed to manage the flow of information from the
palace which often triggered unnecessary confusion and
controversy among the people, damaging relationships with other
political leaders.

While conceding that Abdurrahman himself was often too frank
when making statements, he pointed out that due to the
President's vision problems, Abdurrahman needed a strong team to
provide him with true and honest input.

Officials must arrange Abdurrahman's public relations wisely
and give him good advice before making public statements, Hasyim
insisted.

"Publicity for the President's activities and statements must
be well arranged to prevent a negative impact on the government
and society. This is the responsibility of Setneg (State
Secretariat)," Hasyim said in an interview with The Jakarta Post
on Saturday.

Hasyim expressed his astonishment that secret information from
the palace was often leaked to the media or the public.

Hasyim pointed how, that many secret policies were often
leaked to the public even before the President announced them.

"It is the responsibility of the State Secretariat to classify
disclosures as on-the-record or off-the-record. Now it often
happens that Gus Dur is considering a certain decision but it is
published in the media even before the decision is taken," Hasyim
said.

He warned officials to fully realize the President's physical
shortcomings.

Hasyim said he had no intention to restrict press freedom, but
he wanted to be sure that the President fully realizes that his
every word is being closely monitored.

"Sometimes Gus Dur talks at the palace without knowing whether
journalists are present or not," said the chairman of the 35
million member-organization.

Under the current line-up, the President has four ministerial-
level secretaries.

The President, through several decrees including decree No. 58
and decree No 60 issued last month, has upgraded the status of
Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simajuntak, Secretary of Development
Supervision Bondan Gunawan, and Presidential Secretary Djoko
Mulyono to ministerial level.

Bondan is widely expected in coming months to hand over his
position as acting state secretary to Djohan Efendi, who
currently works as the Ministry of Religious Affairs' research
and development center head.

Hasyim, who was previously East Java's NU leader before
replacing Abdurrahman as NU national leader in November,
acknowledged that along with other senior ulemas he had advised
the President on Monday to refrain from making unnecessary
statements.

"We advised him to reduce his speaking engagements," he said.

Hasyim also noted that careless statements often worsen the
President's relationship with other political leaders, including
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

He indicated that Megawati was irritated with Abdurrahman's
recent decision to sack Laksamana Sukardi from the Cabinet.

"Their previously smooth relationship was slightly disturbed,
but substantially the relationship between Gus Dur and Megawati
is inseparable," he insisted.

Meanwhile, Roeslan Abdulgani, a noted veteran diplomat, said
Gus Dur's government would not collapse if he sticks to the
constitution and the law. But it would be even better if he stops
making confusing statements, Roeslan added.

He said all the presidential aides and people around
Abdurrahman should be helpful because of the president's physical
condition.

"They know that the president's eyes do not function well,
they should not whisper strange things to him that eventually
raises confusion among the people," he said.

Sri Edie Swasono, an expert at the Finance Ministry, expressed
his concern over Gus Dur's health following his strange
statements over the last three weeks.

"Over the last three weeks, he's lost his sense of humor. He
needs to be relaxed in running his government and in expressing
his ideas and statements," he said. (prb/rms)