NU to potent force in future: Experts

NU to potent force in future: Experts

KEDIRI, East Java (JP): Local and foreign observers attending
the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) congress here predicted that the
organization would be a force to be reckoned with in national
politics for the next five years, due to the fact that its
outgoing chairman Abdurrahman Wahid is president.

The presence of several foreign observers in itself denotes
the added importance of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization.

They were of the common view that despite pledges not to
exploit it, Abdurrahman's ascendency remained a decisive factor
that would allow NU to exert influence in politics.

Dutch political scientist Martin van Bruinessen said here on
Monday that NU will become an interesting phenomenon to observe.

"The election of Gus Dur as president has brought many changes
to the organization ... NU (now) appears to be a powerful
organization," he said, referring to Abudrrahman by his popular
name.

He predicted that NU would have strong bargaining powers with
political organizations and the government.

"More and more NU figures are expected to enter the business
sector," he said, adding that NU figures were also abundant in
strategic state positions.

Mitsuo Nakumura, a professor at the University of Chiba in
Japan, said even if at first there may be reluctance, the mere
presence of NU members in political parties would mean NU would
exert influence in government policy.

Nevertheless, both Martin and Nakamura expressed confidence NU
would maintain some distance from the government.

They stressed it would be crucial for NU not to develop a
personality cult around its former chairman.

French observer Andre Fielard said the fruits of Abdurrahman's
style of leadership while chairman would see that NU's ability to
be critical of the government continues.

"This is a consequence of the liberal way of thinking
introduced by Gus Dur during his 15-year leadership of the
organization," she said.

NU is currently holding its 30th national congress at the
Lirboyo Pondok Pesantren (Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School). One
of the primary agendas is to elect an executive for the 35-
million people strong organization.

Election

During a plenary session on Monday, delegates agreed that the
three top posts in the organization's executive board for the
1999-2004 period would be chosen via an election.

The plenary session, presided over by Abdul Wahid Zaini,
director of the Islamic Boarding School in Paiton, Probolinggo,
agreed the next chairman of the legal matters (Aam Suriyah)
department, his deputy chairman and the NU chairman will be
directly elected by the congress on Thursday.

" The Rais Aam (chairman of the legal matters department) and
his deputy will be first elected directly by the congress. After
that, NU chairman will be elected by the congress after nominated
candidates have won support from the newly elected Rais Aam and
his deputy," Zaini said, referring to the organization's statute
book.

He said the congress will also appoint four NU figures to help
the NU chairman and the Rais Aam and his deputy in forming an
executive board.

The congress also agreed to use a method whereby each of the
organization's 306 branches would each get one vote. This is a
departure from the one delegate, one vote method in the 1994
congress which reelected Abddurahman for his third term.

During the current congress each of the 306 branches has been
allotted five delegates.

Meanwhile in the accountability speech, Sahal Mahfud
representing the outgoing executive board, conceded that it had
failed in several programs but had helped to calm down a series
of violent incidents that had occurred over the last five years.

"Despite some progress, we have to admit our failures because
we could not fully carry out the organization's programs outside
of Java," he said.

He said the executive board were deeply concerned over the
rioting and killing sprees that occurred in numerous towns in
East Java last year that claimed hundreds of lives.

He however said NU was satisfied with June 7 general election
and the success of the General Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly.

All NU branches accepted the outgoing executive board's
accountability with reservations, saying NU under the next
executive board should play a more proactive role in carrying out
the organization's program, for the sake of Muslims and the
nation.(nur/rms)