NU won't become political party: Officials

JAKARTA (JP): Officials of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization yesterday dismissed speculation that the organization would enter the political arena and transform into a political party as it did in the early 1970s.

"Until now, NU remains a social and religious organization," according to Ma'ruf Amin, the deputy chief of Syuriah (NU's lawmaking body).

"We (NU's executive board) have never discussed NU becoming a political party," he told reporters after a plenary meeting of NU leaders.

He said NU considered establishing democratic laws more urgent than establishing a political organization.

"But it will completely rest on NU members, should they desire to establish a political party," he said.

Nahdlatul Ulama, the name of which means "the revival of ulemas", was established on Jan. 31, 1926. In its early days it remained very much an organization focused on Islamic studies.

However, in response to increasing political awareness of its members after Indonesia's independence in 1945, NU declared itself a political party in 1952.

It turned out to be a "bronze medalist" in the first general election in 1955 after Masjumi and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), and rose to prominence when it came second in the 1971 elections.

As a part of the 1973 National Consensus, NU merged with three other Moslem parties and formed the United Development Party (PPP).

However, an internal party dispute ruined the coalition and NU severed its formal ties with the PPP in 1984. It has since stayed away from party politics.

Support for NU's return to politics came from the Central Java chapter of the Communication Forum for NU Young Generation (FKGMNU) yesterday.

"In recognition of the total reform momentum and a more conducive political climate, NU's return to politics is appropriate," Cholidy Ibhar, coordinator of the forum, told reporters.

He said establishing the NU as a political party would facilitate the articulation of the organization's political interests.

Asked whether he believed that there could be more than the traditional three political parties -- Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party and PPP -- participating in general elections, Cholidy merely replied that it would be settled in the new political laws.

"NU only hopes that the new political laws will be more democratic than before," he said.

There has been increasing interest from various groups to establish more political parties, and not merely limit them to three.

A group of labor activists inaugurated on Monday the Indonesian Workers Party (PPI), while Golkar's business wing Kosgoro indicated an intention to establish a political party of its own, separate from Golkar.

Separately, Minister of Manpower Fahmi Idris said the government did not oppose the establishment of the Workers Party.

"They (labor activists) may establish a political party," he told reporters after a limited coordinating meeting on the economy, finance and industry yesterday.

"What they may not do is to establish a workers' union, which is affiliated to a political party," he said.

Speaking about recommendations issued by the NU's plenary meeting, NU's secretary-general Ahmad Bagdja said changes in the political system, the establishment of new political laws and an immediate general election should be the urgent agenda of reform.

"Political reform should guarantee the establishment of people's sovereignty which the Indonesian people have long demanded," Ahmad said while reading the meeting's recommendations.

He called on the House of Representatives (DPR)/the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to eradicate collusion, corruption and nepotistic practices in its membership recruitment.

Representing the NU's officials, Ahmad reminded the government that the ongoing reform process should not side with ethnic and religious groups only. (imn/har/rid)