Opposing NU factions scrap it out for top post

Opposing NU factions scrap it out for top post

Blontank Poer and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

Tensions ran high on the first day of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
congress here on Sunday as senior ulema at odds over the
nomination of incumbent leader Hasyim Muzadi launched an open
campaign for their respective candidates.

The pro-Hasyim camp led by Idris Marzuki from Lirboyo in
Kediri, East Java, announced its official support for the
incumbent's reelection bid shortly after the organization's five-
day congress was opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at
the Donohudan Haj Dormitory, some 15 kilometers from Surakarta.

Idris said Sahal Mahfudz, the current chairman of the powerful
syuriah (lawmaking body) in the nation's largest Muslim
organization should be reelected for a second five-year term.

Hours later, a rival camp held a separate conference to
nominate former Indonesian president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid,
who chaired NU for 15 years until 1999, to replace Sahal. The
group also nominated charismatic cleric and poet Mustofa "Gus
Mus" Bisri as the NU new tanfidziyah (executive body) chairman.

The election will cap the five-yearly congress on Thursday.

During the opening ceremony, Gus Dur along with his wife,
Sinta Nuriyah, and daughter Zannuba Arifah Chafsoh led a rally at
the congress by dozens of his supporters in protest against
Hasyim's bid for reelection.

The protesters slammed the organizing committee for allegedly
not inviting several senior clerics, who were all believed to be
opponents of Hasyim, to the congress. They included Gus Dur's
uncle Yusuf Hasyim, Abdullah Faqih from Langitan in Tuban, Ahmad
Mas Subadar from Pasuruan, Muslim Rifa'i Imampuro, better known
as Mbah Lim from Klaten, Mahfudz Ridwan from Salatiga, Mufid
Mas'ud from Surakarta and Zainal Abidin from Krapyak in
Yogyakarta.

Several of the clerics confirmed they had not been invited to
the congress but this was denied by committee chairman Ahmad
Bagdja.

The protesters marched to the Donohudan compound and were
later stopped by Banser security guards at the gate. However, Gus
Dur, his wheelchair ridden wife and daughter were allowed to
enter. The noisy protest drew the attention of the more than
3,500 participants at the congress.

Gus Dur then took a seat at the back of the conference with
other low-ranking participants. He left the event shortly after
the opening ceremony ended.

The pro-Gus Dur faction is supported by a number of senior
clerics -- Nurul Huda Jazuli from Ploso in Kediri, Abdullah Abbas
from Cirebon), Hamdan Cholid from Martapura in South Kalimantan,
Sanusi Baco from South Sulawesi, Azis Amin from Jakarta,
Zaenuddin Maftuhin from Rembang, Mahfud Sobari from Mojokerto,
Hanif Muslich from Demak, Muhaiminan Gunardo from Parakan in
Temanggung, Chotib Umar from Jember, Tuan Guru Turmudzi Badruddin
from Lombok, and Mas Subadar from Pasuruan.

All the clerics publicly voiced their support for the Gus Dur-
Gus Mus pairing during the congress.

They also asked Gus Dur to resign as the chief patron of the
NU-founded National Awakening Party (PKB) if elected in the
congress, Muhaiminan said.

Rival clerics in support of Hasyim include Muchid Muzadi from
Jember, Zainuddin Jazuli from Ploso, Kediri, Anwar Mansyur from
Lirboyo, Masduki Mahfudz from Malang, Mutawakkil Alallah from
Probolinggo, Mawardi from Langitan, Masruri Mughni from Brebes,
Fawaid As'ad Syamsul Arifin from Situbondo and Ghafur from
Lamongan.

"We have decided to weigh our backing for the reelection bids
of Hasyim and Sahal in the congress," said Idris Marzuki,
spokesman for the pro-Hasyim camp.

The two rival ulema factions have been embroiled in a bitter
conflict after Gus Dur and his followers accused Hasyim of
dragging the 40 million-strong NU into politics for his personal
interests.

The accusations came as Hasyim stood as the running mate to
former president and candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri in the
recent presidential election without the endorsement of the PKB.
Megawati, who lost to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the poll,
helped oust Gus Dur from the presidency in 2001.

Politics -- Page 2