Religious leaders protest NU support of woman president

Religious leaders protest NU support of woman president

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Several religious leaders who
are members of the country's largest Muslim organization,
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and the National Awakening Party (PKB),
protested on late Friday and on Saturday a statement by their own
leaders regarding the endorsement of NU and PKB of a woman
president.

An executive of PKB and the principal of a Muslim boarding
school (pesantren) in Demak, Ladzif Zuhri, said after Abdurrahman
had left a national seminar on gender here, "We should not sell
(Koran) chapters and other religious rules so cheaply just for
the sake of political interest."

Similar protests were aired inside and outside the seminar,
held in Baturaden by NU ahead of its national meeting in
November.

The religious leaders regretted that the endorsement was on
behalf of NU and PKB. The leaders said they supported Megawati
Soekarnoputri based on analysis of religious teachings because
she happened to be the only woman presidential candidate.

On Friday, despite earlier reports of differing views among
ulema within the 30-million strong NU regarding the issue,
Abdurrahman said NU would support Megawati as president, arguing
Islam did not oppose women presidents.

Abdurrahman is also PKB's founder and presidential candidate.

At the seminar, PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil said PKB also
supported Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), as presidential candidate.

In a press release, the ulema stated that the seminar
projected the image of seeking justification to support Megawati
as president, given the statements of both NU and PKB executives.

The statement cited the timing of the seminar ahead of NU's
national meeting and the upcoming presidential election.

The statement was issued by leading representatives of both
PKB and NU: Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Amien Soleh, Imron Hamzah,
Chusen M. and Noer Iskandar.

"The seminar on gender ... is a scientific, not a political
analysis ... (it) would be too early for NU and PKB state their
support to Megawati to become president without reserve," the
statement said.

In another media conference on the issue, NU and PKB
executives of the organizing committee -- Said Aqiel Siraj, Rozy
Munir and Arifin Junaedi -- stated the agreements in the seminar
would not automatically be endorsed in the upcoming NU national
meeting.

"Fifty percent of the ulema in this forum are women," Arifin
said without elaborating. "It is not our business if this forum
is manipulated for political interests."

Also on Saturday, Said separately said his Semesta Foundation
was conducting a poll on 1,000 religious leaders in NU on whether
they can accept a woman president.

So far, 300 have responded, out of which 30 said they rejected
a woman president.

From Jember, East Java Antara reported on Sunday that
Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah,
implied that gender of the next president was not an issue.

The organization's deputy, Abdul Munir Mulkhan, said after
addressing a graduation ceremony at Muhammadiyah University:
"Anyone who becomes president, Megawati or any other person, will
be fully accepted by Muhammadiyah."

"This does not mean Muhammadiyah supports Megawati, but we are
leaving it to the mechanisms within the People's Consultative
Assembly (which will elect the president)," he said.

However, the low-profile Megawati should immediately make
known her stance and her party's plans, he said.

In his address at the ceremony, he said the loss of Muslim
parties in the June 7 poll was because they failed to heed to the
needs of workers, poor farmers and the young generation.

In Tangerang, Greater Jakarta, Megawati loyalists added unique
proof of their support to their presidential candidate.

Both women and men, to laughter from onlookers, used lipstick
provided by organizers for passersby on Sunday on Jl. M.H.
Thamrin, and kissed a cloth or paper to mark their support.

They also signed their support in books and on banners at the
event, supported by a local branch of PDI Perjuangan.

One participant, teenager Anik Sugiarti, praised Megawati for
being "consistent and honest" and refraining from talking
"nonsense." Public transportation drivers also joined in the
action.

In Jakarta on Sunday, clerics of Greater Jakarta gathered for
a commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad and a
thanksgiving after the relatively peaceful poll. The clerics
congratulated PDI Perjuangan, which leads with 38 million votes.

A leading ulema here, Habaib Abdurrahman Al-Habsy, said the
expression of support should not be made in blood, "but should be
recorded in gold". Hundreds of people in several cities have
pricked their thumbs and given blood prints to express support
for Megawati amid the controversy of her presidential bid.

On Saturday, chairwoman of the Indonesian National Party led
by Supeni (PNI-Supeni) said the party also supported Megawati as
the next president.

"The results of the poll show that the people want Megawati as
the next president," Mrs. Supeni was quoted by Antara.

The tiny party, one of several claiming to be based on the
original PNI and the teachings of the late president Sukarno,
Megawati's father, only gained 377,137 votes.(45/41/anr)