NU claims helping Golkar win poll

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)