PDI Perjuangan moves to seek NU support

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

After an informal meeting to boost ties with the Golkar Party, key PDI Perjuangan figure Taufik Kiemas -- the President's husband -- is visiting East Java to meet the leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's largest Muslim association.

PDI Perjuangan deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said during his two-day Ramadhan safari in East Java that Taufik would meet NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi at his boarding school in Malang and a number of other NU clerics at the Darul Ulum Islamic boarding school in Jombang.

Pramono said the East Java tour was part of his party's strategy to pave the way for President Megawati Soekarnoputri's victory in the direct presidential election next year.

"He (Taufik) will also meet leaders of other political parties to promote PDI Perjuangan's vision that puts national interests above all else to back presidential candidate Megawati," Pramono said.

The move by Taufik, also a businessman and legislator from the party, came two days after the National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais and his entourage met the highly respected NU cleric Abdullah Faqih at his boarding school in Tuban and several other East Java towns regarded as NU strongholds.

Taufik led a PDI Perjuangan delegation to meet Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and the party's leaders on Monday to build "amicable relations" between the two parties, which deteriorated following clashes involving their supporters in Bali last month.

"PDI Perjuangan will work together with Golkar and some Islamic parties to make the presidential election a success. But we will compete in a fair manner in the election of legislative members.

"We will try not to disturb or defame each other and make sure that there will be no conflict involving our grassroots supporters," Pramono said.

Separately, another PDI Perjuangan executive, Tjahjo Kumolo, said in Jakarta that the visit of Taufik was aimed at listening to the NU community's aspirations on the possibility of naming Hasyim as Megawati's vice-presidential running mate.

"We will report everything to 'Mom' Mega, because she will be the one who makes the final decision on her running mate," Tjahjo, who chairs the party's faction at the House of Representatives, said as quoted by Antara.

East Java is the stronghold of both PDI Perjuangan and NU- affiliated party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), a fact that would be taken into consideration in selecting its legislative candidates, according to the faction chief.

"We may select a lot of NU clerics as our legislative candidates," Tjahjo said.

Pramono said PDI Perjuangan hoped to win 48 percent of the vote in the 2004 general election, up from 34 percent in the 1999 polls.

He said the party had nominated economists like Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Marie Pangestu, as well as actors Desy Ratnasari, Marissa Haque, Dedy Sutomo and singers Franky Sahilatua and Evi Tamala.