NU may support PDI in 1997 general election

NU may support PDI in 1997 general election

JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid strikes again. On Saturday he
hinted that he may mobilize the 28 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU), which he chairs, in support of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) in the 1997 general election.

Gus Dur, as he is better-known, made the comments at a fast-
breaking dinner hosted by besieged PDI boss, Megawati
Sukarnoputri.

Addressing the reception, Gus Dur stressed that it was
important that Indonesia's largest Moslem organization link up
with the PDI, which is a Christian-nationalist alliance.

"I'm obliged to go hand in hand with her (Megawati) whom I
believe to be the nation's future leader," said the NU leader,
who was democratically re-elected for the third consecutive term
in December.

He added he was aware that the public was curious about his
increasing public appearances with Megawati, the eldest daughter
of the late former president Sukarno. She was elected to the PDI
chairmanship by popular vote during a chaotic party congress in
late 1993.

"There has been speculation about whether the NU will throw
its weight behind the PDI in the coming election. The answer is
'wait and see', because the NU doesn't play formal politics," he
said.

Both Gus Dur, who is probably Indonesia's most controversial
figure, and Megawati are regarded as campaigners for democracy.
Both are facing dissension from within their own organizations as
well as "external pressure", aimed at weakening their political
clout.

On their way to their leading positions, they both defeated
government-backed candidates in party congresses filled with
political intrigues.

"It should not be surprising if NU moves closer to the PDI
because the two organizations have had a lot of similar
experiences," said Gus Dur, who also chairs the group Forum
Demokrasi.

He said that as a democracy campaigner, he would not demand
that NU members vote for the PDI in the 1997 election. "I have no
right to ask even my wife to vote for the PDI," he said.

The NU, which was established in 1926 as a socio-religious
organization, was once a powerful political party before merging
with other Moslem parties to form the United Development Party
(PPP) in 1973.

In 1984 it withdrew from formal politics but individual
members remain free to affiliate with any of the three parties:
Golkar, PPP and PDI. Gus Dur was a member of the People's
Consultative Assembly, where he represented the ruling Golkar, in
the early 1980s.

Under Megawati the minority PDI has been aggressively
garnering support from a broad spectrum of Indonesian society.
She often visits major NU-affiliated Islamic boarding schools
(Pesantren) apparently in order to win their backing.

When Gus Dur emerged as the winner of the tense, tight
election at the latest NU congress in the West Java town of Garut
last December, Megawati presence was conspicuous.

In his address on Saturday, Gus Dur said that his close
relations with Christians have often aroused his fellow Moslems'
curiosity.

"I have been asked: if I can have good relations with
Christians, why can't I cooperate with Abu Hasan?," he said. Abu
was Gus Dur's strongest contender in the December NU chairmanship
race, and was believed to enjoy the government's support.

Gus Dur said cooperation was often easier to achieve than
cooperation between two individuals. (rms)