NU to issue leadership criteria

JAKARTA: The country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), will hold a national meeting before the presidential election to draw up a list of criteria for future leaders.

NU deputy chairman Ahmad Bagdja said on Wednesday his organization would recommend that future leaders must be free from any corruption allegations.

"We are already urging our local leaders to tell their followers at every occasion about the negative impacts of corruption.

"But a clear guideline will be issued ... which will recommend that our followers not vote for politicians suspected of corruption," Ahmad told reporters on the sidelines of a three-day discussion on the national antigraft movement, jointly organized by NU and the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadyah.

He, nevertheless, said the NU would not order followers vote for certain political parties or politicians, saying that "the people have the final right to make their own choice". -- JP