NU promises to defend Presiden Soeharto
KENDAL, Central Java (JP): The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, has reiterated its promise to defend President Soeharto against any attempt to unseat him by unconstitutional means.
Abdurrahman Wahid, the controversial chairman of the NU, who is often critical of the government's policies, reasserted his commitment at a gathering of hundreds of the organization's members on Saturday.
"With the help of two million NU followers, we are ready to safeguard the head of state from any unconstitutional attempts (against him)," said the boss of the organization, which claims to have 30 million members.
Abdurrahman, popularly known as Gus Dur, also reasserted the NU's determination to be independent, both from the government and from any other organization.
"Don't be dragged into anything which is not our business, especially if it concerns politics," he said. "We have our own heavy task, which is to take care of our schools, mosques and members."
He cautioned NU members in relation to the increasingly tense political climate in Indonesia, advising them to stay calm and mind their own business.
"The role of the NU is not in the political arena, but in guarding the safety of the country, which also means the safety of the government and the head of state," he said.
Abdurrahman, a shrewd political analyst, well known for his controversial views, predicted recently that President Soeharto would retain power in 1998.
He was skeptical about suggestions that the People's Consultative Assembly might elect another president, he said, because the general elections were only two years away, while Soeharto still didn't seem to have any competitor.
Gus Dur is currently facing a lawsuit filed by his rival in last December's NU chairmanship election, Abu Hasan, who has accused him of taking US$18 million in kickbacks in a port project in Jakarta.
Gus Dur has not been summoned to pay a call on President Soeharto as newly-elected leaders of major organizations traditionally are.
Speaking to reporters on a different subject, Gus Dur said money borrowed by Indonesia from abroad should be used for the prosperity and welfare of the people, and not only to build toll roads.
"(The government) should account, for the loans it has received from various international institutions, to God and to the nation, by using them for the welfare of the whole people," he said.
"They should not be used only for the interests of the wealthy, who are becoming even wealthier today," he said.
He suggested that, instead of using the funds to build more toll roads, they should be used to improve public transportation and other facilities. "Build underground and electrical railways which can benefit many people, instead," he said.
He called on government officials to include the interests of poor people in their policy-making activities. "Help them, because it was they who were directly involved during the independence struggle," he said. (har/swe)