NU rules out Gus Dur's interference in election
SEMARANG (JP): Leaders of the country's biggest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) dismissed on Wednesday speculation that President Abdurrahman Wahid interfered in the election of the new chief of its youth wing GP Ansor.
"It is too much if Gus Dur intervenes in the (election) process," said Solahudin Wahid in reference to Abdurrahman, who is his elder brother.
Abdurrahman, who chaired NU for 15 years before his election as the president last October, is scheduled to open the 12th congress of Ansor on Thursday. The five-day congress will be held at the Donohudan Haj Dormitory in Boyolali, some 60 kilometers southeast of here.
Solahudin admitted that the top post in Ansor is considered strategic as it oversees some one million members of Banser, Ansor's civilian guards.
"I do hope that all (Ansor) branch chiefs will give freedom to all members to nominate their prospective leaders," he said on Wednesday.
Ilham Hamidjaja, deputy chairman of Ansor's Central Java chapter shared Solahudin's view about Abdurrahman's neutral stance toward the congress.
"He's too great to do that," Ilham said.
As for the Ansor chairman nominee, the most popular candidate in Central Java is Syaifulloh Yusuf, Gus Dur's nephew, Ilham said on Wednesday.
"But whoever wins, we will support him all the way," he said.
Syaifulloh is presently the chairman of GP Ansor. He took over from Mohammad Iqbal Assegaf, who died in a car accident in 1998.
Syaifulloh is also a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in the House of Representatives (DPR).
Two of GP Ansor's previous chairmen, Slamet Effendi Yusuf and the late Mohammad Iqbal Assegaf joined the Golkar Party. Slamet is now a Golkar Party leader and a DPR member.
Several names have been mentioned as GP Ansor's chief candidates, Ilham said.
They include Syaifulloh, former secretary-general of GP Ansor, Saefulah Maksum, one of the organization's chairman, Fathoni Rodi, and Khotibul Uman Wirono, chairman of the Association of Indonesian Muslim Student Movement (PMII).
More than 1,900 provincial GP Ansor representatives across the country have confirmed their participation to elect the new chief for the 2000-2005 term.
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri is slated to close the congress on July 2.
In Boyolali, Syaifulloh said in a media briefing at Donohudan Haj Dormitory on Wednesday said that he is ready to be nominated as chairman. "If I fail, that is okay for me."
Syaifulloh also denied allegations that he used money politics to maintain his post. "It's not true and I take it as a wish of good luck for me," he said.
NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi, who was also present at the media briefing, said he hopes for a democratic congress. "This is the process of being mature. I hope that nobody gets blind with ambition," Hasyim added. (har/swa/edt)