NU refuses to support PKB in 2004 polls

Tiarma Siboro and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Alwi Shihab's National Awakening Party (PKB) has seen its bid to win back its traditional support from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) come unstuck after the country's largest Muslim organization insisted it would maintain its impartiality.

On Tuesday, the party's executives met with NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi at the latter's office on Jl. Kramat, Central Jakarta, to ask for the mass organization's support due to the fact that "the party was born from the NU's womb".

"We are here to remind the organization of the historical ties between the NU and the PKB. I guess it would very much make sense if we could maintain the ties the same way as Muhammadyah is always linked to PAN," PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD said, referring to the National Mandate Party which is chaired by Amien Rais, who is a former Muhammadiyah chief.

Mahfud was accompanied by senior PKB executive AS Hikam, deputy chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, Ali Masykur Musa and Taufikkurahman Saleh, both of whom are PKB legislators in the House of Representatives.

Mahfud said that during the meeting he and Hasyim also talked about national issues, including possible changes in national politics ahead of the 2004 general election. Mahfud asserted the significance of the meeting in "identifying possible partners or competitors in the coming general election."

In his response, Hasyim asserted that he would prevent the organization becoming involved in politics.

"Both the PKB and NU must keep their own institutions healthy. Although the PKB was born from us (the NU), we (the NU and PKB) are different institutions. The NU is a religious organization while the PKB is a political organization, so just don't mix them up," Hasyim said.

The visit of the PKB executives to NU headquarters was also aimed at putting an end to rumors about charismatic NU figure Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is familiarly known, which have it that he plans to campaign for an extraordinary meeting to replace Hasyim and Gus Dur's uncle Sahal Mahfudh as the chairman of NU's board of patrons.

"I have asked Pak Hasyim to take the rumors lightly, as the PKB, as well as most of NU's kyais (Muslim preachers), will not support any attempt to oust him," Mahfud said.

Gus Dur has openly expressed his support for the replacement of Hasyim, whom he accused of doing little to prevent the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly that ousted him last year, and a subsequent split in the party.

A splinter group of the PKB was founded by Matori Abdul Djalil, who had earlier been dismissed by Gus Dur from his post as PKB chairman for violating the party's code of conduct.

Mahfud, nevertheless, stressed that the meeting did not discuss the dispute between the Matori and Alwi versions of the PKB.

The PKB has also attempted to facilitate a reconciliation meeting between Gus Dur and Amien.

According to Mahfud, Gus Dur and Amien had an unscheduled meeting for a few minutes at Soekarno-Hatta airport last week, which Mahfud described as an effort to heal the old wounds.

"They both are national leaders, and they both have a huge number of supporters. Their relations have an impact on the life of the whole nation," Mahfud said.

Amien is still believed to play a prominent role in the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadyah. Just like Gus Dur, Amien reportedly harbors ambitions of becoming the country's president.