NU claims helping Golkar win poll

BAGU, West Nusa Tenggara (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Abdurrahman Wahid put Golkar in its place yesterday by saying that the dominant political group would not have won by such a majority in this year's election without the help of many, including his organization.

"Golkar should not forget the help of NU in propping up its votes," Abdurrahman said in the opening session of NU's national conference here yesterday.

He said he helped by escorting Golkar leader Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana on her visits to Islamic boarding schools in Central and East Java and parts of Sumatra during the election campaign.

He also cited "parties" who approached NU chapters and branches for support.

Golkar won more than 70 percent of the votes in the election, followed by the United Development Party (PPP) with 22.6 percent of the votes. The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) only gained 3 percent of the votes.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said his reasons for helping Golkar were "ideological rather than political" in nature.

When the toppled leader of PDI, Megawati Soekarnoputri, boycotted the election, he was worried that 20 million of her supporters would turn to PPP to voice their aspirations, thereby threatening Golkar's dominant position and disrupting the nation's political balance.

"It would have been dangerous for Indonesia if Golkar failed to secure a majority in the election," he said. "Some interest groups, seeking to establish an Islamic state, might have attempted to profit from the situation (namely the increasing clout of PPP because of the support from Megawati's followers)."

He refused to mention names, but said those groups would have tried to force Islamic teaching and values on the nation, ignoring the fact that the country might not be prepared for this.

Contrary to those groups, he said, NU wants the nation to understand Islam through a long process of education.

"It was the reason why NU invited Tutut (as Hardiyanti is more popularly known) to our boarding schools," he said.

Abdurrahman reminded Golkar that NU support for Hardiyanti was not a "fixed price".

"There's no guarantee we will do the same in the 2002 general election," he said. "There was no political deal between NU and Golkar in the last general election." (imn/43)