NU to stay away from PKB dispute

YOGYAKARTA: The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, says the organization will stay away from the legal wrangles involving the two National Awakening Party (PKB) factions.

NU Chairman Hasyim Muzadi said on Thursday in Yogyakarta that PKB executives should settle the dispute on their own, as NU had decided not to meddle in the matter.

"During our meeting in Pati, Central Java, we decided that NU will stay away from the issue," Hasyim was quoted by Detik.com, referring to the NU leaders' meeting earlier this week held specifically to discuss the dispute.

PKB was formed by NU leaders in 1999, but split into two camps in 2001 after then chairman Matori Abdul Djalil was removed by former president Abdurrahman Wahid for supporting his impeachment. Matori formed his own branch of the PKB after his ouster, also called the PKB.

Abdurrahman, the party's founder and patron, was Hasyim's predecessor, and led NU for 15 years before becoming Indonesian president in 1999. He is also a noted Muslim cleric.

"For NU, the most important thing is to keep its members from uncertainty, especially ahead of the 2004 election," he said. -- JP