PKB plays down fatwa polemic

Wed, 09 Jun 2004, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Surabaya/Kupang

National Awakening Party (PKB) politicians sought to dispel
concerns over the possibility of internal friction rising among
the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) as several NU figures blaze the campaign
trail, but took up the challenge presented by their electoral
rivals subtly.

The PKB was founded by the central board of the 40 million-
strong NU, the country's largest Muslim organization, including
disqualified candidate and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid.

Solahuddin Wahid, an NU cleric and brother to Gus Dur, said on
Tuesday that the NU would remain united even though NU chairman
Hasyim Muzadi is running alongside incumbent President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Hasyim has been suspended from his NU post for the duration of
his campaign, while Solahuddin is running mate to Gen. (ret)
Wiranto under the Golkar party banner.

Solahuddin stressed that Hasyim represented Megawati's
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), not the NU.

"Historically, any political affairs relevant to the NU are
taken care of by the PKB, which bases its decisions on the advice
of the NU's elders. Therefore, Pak Hasyim represents neither the
NU nor its central board," he told a cheering crowd in Surabaya,
East Java.

Wiranto-Solahuddin gained the endorsement of the PKB following
Golkar's public announcement of their nomination.

Campaign activities were also used as an opportunity to
respond to a recent verbal fatwa -- generally a non-binding
recommendation within the context of Indonesian Islam -- from
several East Java NU clerics, who effectively said it was
forbidden for Muslims to elect a woman president.

In response to the issue, PKB chairman Mahfud M.D. said the
party "would not use the fatwa issue against other candidates",
as the party adhered to a belief that it was haram -- or
forbidden under Islamic law -- to elect a president who was
incompetent.

Meanwhile, Wiranto in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, spoke at a
campaign rally and press conference, declaring he had "the
support of the international community" and that he was clean of
any human rights violations. Mindful of the local Catholic
majority, he stressed his commitment to uphold unity and protect
minorities, hence he "would not tolerate the attempts of a few
people to apply the sharia in Indonesia".

In response to suggestions that the economy might collapse
further if he did not have international backing, he said he had
the support of "at least 15 countries".

"I have met with the envoys of friendly countries in Europe
and the Middle East, of Japan, Singapore, the United States,
Australia..." He said they expressed appreciation for the
democratic process in Indonesia over several meetings, and that
none of them had expressed any objection to his candidacy.

In fact, they voiced their support, so "none of those
countries would stop their financial aid", he said.

In Jakarta, United Development Party (PPP) candidates Hamzah
Haz and Gen. (ret) Agum Gumelar held on Tuesday a fairly festive
outdoor campaign at the Kemayoran Fairground, Central Jakarta.

The campaign featured a number of popular performers -- such
as transvestite entertainer Dorce Gamalama and record-breaking
drummer Jelly Tobing -- making the event reminiscent of the
fanfare preceding the April 5 general election.

Crowds danced in the heat to dangdut music sporting brand-new
campaign T-shirts, while Hamzah pledged to provide free primary
and secondary education if he were elected president.