NU must reinstate mission at next congress: Hasyim
NU must reinstate mission at next congress: Hasyim
JAKARTA (JP): An influential Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) figure urged
on Monday that the NU reinstate its mission during its next
congress to enable the largest Muslim organization to contribute
to the country's development.
"It is a new era for NU to go to the front row and fight for
new values in state-religion relations and to design a new
strategy to develop future religious harmony," said NU east Java
chapter chairman Hasyim Muzadi.
Hasyim said NU would maintain its commitment to keep out of
practical politics, while at the same time continue its role in
creating a conducive climate for the growth of democracy in the
country.
"At the next congress, NU will reconfirm its 1926 khittah
(pledge) that it will never be involved in politics, but focus
itself on socioeconomic issues. NU will never become a political
organization," he said.
He said four political parties claiming to represent NU
interests -- the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Nadhlatul
Ummat Party (PNU), the Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU) and
the Suni Party -- were not established by the NU but by NU
cadres.
Hasyim said NU would promote so-called substantial-inclusive
relations between religions and the state to prevent the
government from meddling with the different religion's internal
affairs and to encourage harmony among religious communities.
"And NU will also fight against the abuse of religions for
political interests."
He said that at the next congress, NU would also design
programs to promote the supremacy of the law and help the
government develop the people-oriented economy.
Hasyim is one of four leading candidates for the
organization's top post to be vacated by chairman Abdurrahman
Wahid, who was recently elected Indonesia's new President.
Hasyim refused to speculate on his chances of taking on the NU
chairmanship, but he said he was ready to lead the 35 million-
strong organization and was committed to carrying out all
programs determined by the congress.
In Semarang, with only five days until the congress, NU's
Central Java chapter officially nominated Sahal Mahfudz for
chairmanship of the Syuriah law-making body.
"All provincial branches have unanimously supported Sahal
Mahfudz's nomination," NU Central Java chairman Mohammad Adnan
said.
Sahal Mahfudz is an uncle to Abdurrahman.
Adnan said that in regard to the NU chairmanship post, Central
Java would leave the decision to the congress. He added that the
Syuriah needed empowering so that it could implement its policy
more effectively.
Abdurrahman is scheduled to open on Nov. 21 the week-long NU
congress at the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school in Kediri, East
Java. He will open the congress in his capacity as President.
The NU chapter in Yogyakarta also nominated on Monday Sahal to
the top Syuriah post, but had not yet decided on a candidate for
the executive chairman post.
The chapter also set several agenda for the congress,
including a drive for equal rights for men and women to hold
various top NU posts.
"For us, the women leadership issue is crucial. We want to
fight so that women can hold a structural position on the
executive board," Yogyakarta NU secretary Nuruddin Amin said.
NU houses three autonomous bodies for women, namely Muslimat
NU (for housewives), Fatayat NU (for post-high school women) and
NU Female Student or IPPNU. "But they're never given a chance to
fill the top position in the organization," Nuruddin said.
The chapter will also push NU members to focus on the need for
strict adherence of the organization's 1926 khittoh by separating
itself from the National Awakening Party (PKB), the party founded
last year by Abdurrahman.
"It is imperative for the NU and the PKB to be structurally
separated, even though informally the NU has a moral obligation
to advise the PKB," Nuruddin said.
The chapter suggested the formation of a Majelis Hikmah
(Deliberation Board) within NU to serve as a political study
center which could later contribute views to the PKB.
(44/har/edt/rms)