NU leaders accept Gus Dur's presidential bid
JAKARTA (JP): Influential Muslim leaders signaled their approval of Abdurrahman Wahid's presidential candidacy on Tuesday, although they fell short of openly supporting his bid for the country's top post.
The leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, which Abdurrahman chairs, said in a statement they were not supporting the candidacy of Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur.
"The term is 'not supporting' (his candidacy)," the chairman of NU's law-making body, Kyai (religious teacher/leader) Ilyas Ruchiyat, said here.
Reading from the statement the NU leaders drafted after hours of meetings which began on Monday, he said: "NU's executive board expresses our gratitude and appreciation for the measures taken by KH Abdurrahman Wahid ... to uphold democracy and simultaneously maintain the safety of well-being of the nation, including his willingness to be nominated for the presidency."
Upholding democracy "in the search for a new Indonesia" and maintaining the safety and welfare of the nation are two inseparable commitments of NU, the leaders said.
"Although NU ulema and members prefer KH Abdurrahman Wahid to remain 'the nation's kyai', the executive board can understand his candidacy and will not infringe on his right to carry out efforts ... to uphold these two commitments by becoming a candidate for Indonesia's presidency," the statement read.
Fear of unrest should the presidential election become deadlocked led Abdurrahman to become a candidate, the NU leaders said, adding this was why they "understood" his candidacy. They also said it was a positive step for democracy in a country which is used to only one presidential candidate.
NU secretary-general Ahmad Bagdja said the statement was meant to help calm the situation one day before the scheduled presidential election.
He acknowledged the statement would make Abdurrahman feel better about throwing his hat into the ring for the presidency. A number of leading figures in NU have objected to Gus Dur's candidacy, citing his ill health and his role as a religious leader.
The NU leaders told all political party leaders on Tuesday to urge their supporters not to hold mass rallies. Supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri reportedly continued to stream into the city on Monday night through a number of the city's railroad stations.
NU leaders in Java have questioned how NU members would react to competing presidential candidates -- Abdurrahman and Megawati. NU strongholds such as East Java voted heavily in favor of PDI Perjuangan in the general election.
The National Awakening Party (PKB), which was founded by Abdurrahman and several other NU executives, initially supported the presidential candidacy of Megawati Soekarnoputri. The party later shifted its support to Abdurrahman, but PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil and some party executives continue to support Megawati.
Ahmad said Abdurrahman and Matori attended the meeting of the 18 members of NU's executive and law-making board, which was halted at 3 a.m. on Tuesday before reconvening at midday. He also said Akbar Tandjung of Golkar Party and Megawati were scheduled to stop by the meeting in Central Jakarta later on Tuesday.
"The kyai here are ready to meet all political leaders to help build communication," Ahmad said.
The NU leaders urged all people, including NU members who were supporters of different political parties, to accept whoever was elected president. "It's no problem for us if Gus Dur doesn't get the presidency," Ahmad said.
What is important is the democratic process of the presidential election, he said. (anr)