PKB vows to become inclusive party

By Ahmad Junaidi

JAKARTA (JP): Can the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was established by the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), become truly pluralistic?

The party, once dubbed as "the only son" of the NU, is set to proclaim itself a modern party which includes all elements of society -- including non-Muslims -- when it holds its first congress in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday.

Although at its birth two years ago the party adopted the "open" ideologies of the state philosophy Pancasila and nationalism, its public image is that of a Muslim-based party anchored in the NU.

Almost all members of the PKB's current executive board are NU executives or activists.

The party was established by five members of the NU executive board (PBNU) and declared by then NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid at his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on July 23, 1998.

The party's current chairman Matori Abdul Djalil is a former secretary-general of the United Development Party (PPP).

Its deputy chairman Alwi Shihab is known as an NU intellectual who graduated from Harvard University in the United States and Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He has been given the prestigious post of foreign minister in Abdurrahman's Cabinet.

Another deputy chairman, Taufiqurrahman Saleh, is an NU activist and former PPP councillor in East Java's legislative council.

Matori has stressed that the PKB should be open to people of all backgrounds and not depend solely on the NU if it wants to grow to become a big political party.

"Although we have declared ourselves as an open party, we admit that the PKB is still considered as NU's party," he said.

Taufiqurrahman also said that PKB would recruit people from various backgrounds in its executive board, the makeup of which will be decided at the congress.

The PKB is reportedly trying to attract several retired generals and ministers in the current Cabinet to join the party's executive board.

Among those often cited are Minister of Mines and Energy Lt. Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of Communications Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar.

Minister of Maritime Exploration Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, who was former secretary-general of the Golkar Party, and Minister of Forestry and Plantation Nurmahmudi Ismail have also been cited as party "hopefuls".

From outside the Cabinet, Cahbib Chirizin, a former executive of Pemuda Muhammadiyah, a youth wing of Muhammadiyah, has often been mentioned.

Chabib and state secretary Johan Effendy are known to be close to Abdurrahman and accompanied him on a controversial visit to Israel several years ago, when the later was still NU chairman.

Several Christian politicians, including former executives of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Nico Daryanto and B.N. Marbun, have already been accepted as party's members.

Matori claimed that Gus Dur, as the President is often referred, is ready to be appointed as the party's legislative body chairman as long as the party can show it is open to people from various backgrounds.

Political observer J. Kristiadi said the plan to recruit non- NU people was part of PKB's efforts to find national figures to help the party keep up with its nationalist-oriented competitors.

"It's a first step for the PKB to become an 'inclusive' party. The party realizes that it should accept pluralism if it wants to win the 2004 general election," Kristiadi, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said.

A political party which lapses into hermeticism, whether religious, ethnic or otherwise, will never win the election, he added.

The PKB is trying to emulate the electoral strength of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the Golkar Party.

These moves indicate that it is also confidant it will not loose its grassroots NU support. The NU, which was formed in 1926, is known for its moderateness and tolerance.

The nationalist PDI Perjuangan secured 33 percent of the popular vote during the past election. Golkar received more than 22 percent.

PKB got 12 percent, most of which are believed to have come from NU members in Java, followed by the Islamic-based PPP with about 10 percent.

PKB's former deputy chairwoman Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who is now state minister of the empowerment of women, has suggested that predominantly Christian provinces, such as North Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara, PKB should accept Christians in their chapters' executives.

But in provinces where NU has a big following, such as Java, PKB's executives should be filled by NU people, said Khofifah.

Despite the widening of its membership to include those of various political convictions -- non-Muslims, nationalists and Muhammadiyah members -- the party is unlikely to ever completely alienate its established NU base.

This is evident in the continued presence and importance of the party's Dewan Syuro (legislative body), which consists of NU Muslim clerics.

On Friday, PKB's East Java chapter officially nominated Abdurrahman as chairman of the Dewan Syuro, and Alwi Shihab as the party's chairman.

"We are very optimistic that Alwi can replace Matori," the party's East Java chapter chairman Choirul Anam.

In Surabaya, congress participants have already begun arriving.

Thousands of PKB's supporters will attend the opening ceremony which will be inaugurated by President Abdurrahman Wahid in Tambaksari soccer stadium in Surabaya on Sunday.

The ceremony will be marked with a mass prayer attended by at least 120 senior NU ulemas.

"They will pray for the safety of the nation, PKB and Gus Dur, especially in facing the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly," congress organizing committee secretary Abdul Wahab said.