Scholars scold ulemas for dabbling in politics

SURABAYA (JP): Leading Moslem scholars have criticized a group of fellow ulemas who recently named 10 people they deemed as vice presidential material, calling it a dangerous political maneuver.

Badri Masduki, the head of Badrud Duja Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Kraksaan, Probolinggo, and Saleh Al Jufri, the director of the Institute for Islamic Information and Laboratory, expressed their displeasure over the move.

"(They have done something) against their integrity as ulemas," said Badri.

Led by Hasib Wahab, the head of Bahrul Ulum Pesantren in Jombang, a group of 99 ulemas said they planned to submit a list of 10 names for the vice presidential election to the People's Consultative Assembly.

In hierarchical order, the list was as follows: incumbent Try Sutrisno; Information Minister R. Hartono; State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie; Golkar leader Siti Hardijanti Rukmana; House Speaker Harmoko; Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman; Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto; Defense Minister Edi Sudradjat; and East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman.

Hasib said the group also planned to visit President Soeharto, to convey their support for his renomination, before the People's Consultative Assembly's meeting next March.

Badri was actually a member of FOKUS, but disagreed with the move. "We never agreed to name any candidates. FOKUS did not have the competence to make statements about vice presidential candidates," he said.

He said that in the FOKUS meeting at Tunjungan Hotel late November, there had not been any agenda to discuss the question of the next vice presidency. "Then, all of a sudden, there were many reports about the list," he said.

Saleh Al Jufri said he was also invited to the meeting but declined because he suspected there was political maneuvering brewing.

In 1990, Saleh collected the signatures of 200 local ulemas to support the nomination of Try Sutrisno.

Saleh said the announcement of the 10 names was initiated by Hasib who wanted to see Try Sutrisno reelected.

"I know nothing of this," Saleh said, adding that he would not mobilize support for anyone again.

Sources told The Jakarta Post that Badri's protest was more because he wanted greater support to be given to Hartono rather than Try Sutrisno.

Governor Basofi cold-shouldered the motion. "If they want to name people, they can do so. Just leave me out of it," he said.

FOKUS is an organization of leaders of boarding schools which belongs to Indonesia's largest Moslem organization the Nahdlatul Ulama. Their original mission was to curb the alleged spread of the Shiite sect, but in practice they were also active in political affairs.

In August last year, for instance, they issued a statement denouncing the Democratic People's Party (PRD) -- then charged with masterminding the July 27, 1996, riot, and other "neo- communist" movements. (nur)