President asks Nahdlatul Ulama to remain critical

President asks Nahdlatul Ulama to remain critical

KEDIRI, East Java (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid urged on
Sunday the country's largest Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU), to remain critical of the government.

Abdurrahman, the NU's outgoing chairman, made the statement at
the opening of the organization's congress at the Lirboyo Islamic
Boarding School complex on the town's outskirts.

More than 400,000 Muslims, including about 2,000 delegations
from 306 NU branches across the country, as well as local and
foreign observers attended the ceremony.

The President said good relations between his administration
and NU members could be maintained even when the Muslim
organization needed to be critical of the government.

"This (critical stand) has been maintained for a long time. I
felt I was oppressed for 15 years for being incompatible with the
government," Abdurrahman said.

"Should we abandon this attitude only because we have good
relations? Being critical should be the base for democracy in the
country," he said to the applause of attendees.

Abdurrahman has chaired NU since 1984. Following his election
to the presidency, he must relinquish the post. One of the major
agenda's at the congress is to seek Abdurrahman's successor.

The President also called on NU and its ulemas to be
consistent with the organization's commitment to helping the
nation to develop.

"NU and its ulemas should continue to play their role in
seeking solutions to national problems," he said.

The President said that all Muslims, ulemas and their
organizations should be active in coping with the threats of
disintegration and the nationwide problem of drug and alcohol
abuse.

Also present at the ceremony were People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais, MPR Deputy Speaker Matori
Abdul Djalil, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
Tandjung and East Java Governor Imam Utomo.

The President's entourage included First Lady Shinta Nuriyah
Rachman, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, her husband
Taufik Kiemas, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Religious Affairs Tolchah Hasan,
Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nur Mahmudi Ismail, Minister
of Maritime Exploration Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Indonesian
Military Commander Admiral Widodo A.S.

Despite the tight security, the public poured into the
congress venue to greet the President and his entourage.

Thousands of security guards from NU's youth organization
Ansor and about 2,300 security personnel from the East Java
Provincial Police and Military Command were deployed to secure
the ceremony.

Abdurrahman, popularly known as Gus Dur, appreciated the
presence of VIPs and foreign delegations at the congress, saying
this was evidence of the importance of NU and its mission.

"It is the first time that I and the Vice President, who I
always call Mbak Mega, have attended the same event," he said.
Megawati was also representing the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) during the ceremony.

"We should bear in mind that PDI Perjuangan was the winner of
the June 7 general election," Abdurrahman said, adding that he
was able to cooperate with Megawati because in addition to their
long-term association, he had always treated her as his younger
sister.

The President told his audience that Akbar was representing
the Golkar Party, Amien was attending on behalf of the National
Mandate Party (PAN) and Nur Mahmudi was representing the "axis
force".

"Their presence, as well as that of Muhammadiyah chairman
Achmad Syafei Ma'arif, delegations from Malaysia and Saudi Arabia
and a number of observers from Japan, the United States and The
Hague, are an expression of their love for the NU.

"NU is respected because the socioreligious organization has
long shown its commitment to giving contributions and sacrifices
for the sake of the nation."

Abdurrahman said that despite his rise to the nation's top
job, NU should maintain its independence and control the
government in order to promote good governance.

The chief of the NU's law-making body, Ilyas Ruchyat, called
on the congress participants to pay more attention to social
welfare issues in the country.

"The congress must focus on the fate of Muslim people who are
mostly living in rural areas and with low education levels," he
said, adding that economic development should be oriented to
rural dwellers and small and middle-sized entrepreneurs.

Chairman of the congress's organizing committee Said Aqiel
Siradj said the congress was expected to discuss not only NU's
internal issues, but also matters of national interest.

"NU must be able to help the government solve various problems
facing the nation, particularly the Aceh case," he said.
(nur/rms)