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)