Support strong for re-election of Abdurrahman
Support strong for re-election of Abdurrahman
JAKARTA (JP): Support for the re-election of Abdurrahman
Wahid, chief of the 34 million member Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), is
streaming in from Central Java, one of the strongest bases of the
Moslem organization.
The support came just days after Gus Dur, as he is popularly
known, announced that he would seek re-election when the largest
Indonesian socio-educational organization holds its congress next
month.
The congress, to take place in the West Java town of
Tasikmalaya, will bring together NU leaders from across the
country to select the new board of executives and adopt the
organization's working programs for the next five years.
Numerous NU branches in Central Java regencies have put
Abdurrahman on top of their list of candidates. Their second most
popular nominee is Sahal Mahfudh, one of his deputies.
"They received overwhelming support from local leaders who
were assembled in a workshop here on Tuesday," chairman of the
Central Java NU chapter H. Achmad said in Semarang yesterday.
Some local NU leaders want Mahfudh, who run an Islamic
boarding school in Pati, east of Semarang, to take the helm and
for Abdurrahman to become his deputy.
Political observer Kacung Marijan from the Surabaya-based
Airlangga University said Abdurrahman, who hails from East Java,
is still the most popular candidate.
"His chance to clinch the NU top spot for the third time got
bigger after he announced his plan to run again," he told the
Antara press agency.
"Third party"
He said Abdurrahman retained his popularity thanks to his
close relations with local NU leaders.
In an unrelated occasion, Abdurrahman said in Semarang that he
did not see any signs that a "third party" would meddle in the
election of the new NU executive board.
He added, however, that some individuals have tried to meddle
in NU's internal affairs. "They do it covertly for fear that
their superiors will reprimand them," he said.
He said the "individuals" were trying to foil his re-election
bid.
Gus Dur alleged that several power brokers also tried to
promote politicians to key positions in the hope that NU would
return to formal politics.
"This maneuver could jeopardize NU's commitment to staying
away from party politics and this is something that we do not
want," he said. He added that it was this fear that made him
decide to seek re-election.
NU, established in 1926, was formerly a powerful political
party. With three other Moslem political organizations, it merged
into the United Development Party (PPP) in 1973.
In its historic congress in 1984, NU decided to return to its
original socio-educational mission and organizationally retreated
from practical politics.(pan/har)