NU's good name in jeopardy, scholar warns

JAKARTA (JP): An influential Moslem leader warned yesterday that the ulemas who want to hold a political gathering later this month are putting the reputation of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in jeopardy.

Yusuf Hasyim, who heads NU's law-making body, said the gathering would amount to an embarrassing inconsistency with the organization's commitment to avoid politics.

"I don't mind the meeting so long as they (ulemas) don't use NU as an umbrella. Have confidence and act on your own risk," he said.

Yusuf's statement came only a day after a group of NU ulemas announced they would go ahead with the controversial gathering after they secured more support from the Armed Forces (ABRI).

The meeting, slated for June 26 in the Central Java city of Rembang, reflects the division within Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, between those who want a return to politics or at least to exercise some political influence, and those who want the organization to be completely apolitical.

An estimated 75 ulemas plan to attend the meeting to discuss the future of the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP), whose position as the second largest political organization is threatened by the progressive Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Formerly a strong political party, NU retreated from formal politics in 1984 but does not forbid its members from joining political parties.

The Rembang meeting controversy was part of the internal bickering within the PPP which will choose new leadership during its forthcoming August congress.

NU, the largest of the four organizations within the PPP, wants to ensure that the next party chairman comes from their ranks.

Hailing from Jombang, one of Indonesia's Moslem strongholds in East Java, Yusuf is understood to desire the PPP chairmanship.

He argued that the Rembang gathering will endanger NU's pledge to remain a socio-education organization and stays away from formal politics.

"They should go to Rembang in their capacity as members of PPP," said the ulema who runs the respected Islamic boarding school, Tebuireng, in Jombang.

In support of Yusuf's objection to the gathering, the West Java chapter of NU announced yesterday it would boycott the meeting, saying that it meant to uphold the organization's formal commitment to stay away from politics.

"This decision is taken for our own good," the West Java chapter chairman Dudung Abdul Halim was quoted by Antara as saying.

He added any local ulemas wanting to attend the meeting should not claim to represent NU otherwise they may strain their relations with the organization. (pan)