Supporters boost Amien Rais' chances
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Supporters of incumbent Muhammdiyah chairman Amien Rais made a last minute dash to rally support for him as the congress of the Moslem organization began the long process of electing its new leaders.
Some 1,350 participants, of the congress, cast their votes yesterday to elect the 13 names for the new executive board.
In a lengthy process, representative of the organization's branches, from 26 provinces, named 13 candidates out of 40 candidates, who had been selected in a preliminary election. Ballot counting began last night and was only expected to finish this morning.
The top 13 candidates will then convene and decide among themselves as to who will lead the Moslem reformist organization for the coming five years.
Amien told The Jakarta Post that the election mechanism adopted by the congress was the most democratic. "I admit it's a bit lengthy, because everything is done manually, but this a very democratic procedure," he said.
Up to yesterday evening, support for Amien Rais appeared to be increasing. A political analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said that some major provinces, such as East Java, Jakarta, Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and South Sulawesi, want Amien to be reelected.
K.H. Abdurrahim Nur, chairman of East Java branch, said he would not push his colleagues to name any particular candidate, including Amien.
East Java has the right to cast 170 votes, or more than 10 percent of the total votes.
On the sidelines, speculations have shifted from whether Amien Rais would be the top man, to whether the controversial activist Lukman Harun would be included in the executive board.
This discussion was added to by the question as to whether another leading candidate, Syafii Maarif, who was reportedly Lukman's foe, would also be included in the list. The understanding was, that if Lukman was included, Syafii would not consider the position.
This condition was said to have put Amien Rais in a difficult situation. He was reported to be in favor of the inclusion of Lukman, as a goodwill gesture on his part to amend rifts among leading candidates, which has grown over the past several days.
Should he take this position, he would then be under pressure from provinces which were against Lukman.
Amien denied holding any grudges against Lukman, or of opposing his inclusion in the central board.
"I don't have any personal problem with Lukman, not a single one," he told the Post, adding that if Lukman obtained enough votes to be included in the board, he would accept him.
"It's okay with me. I don't want to force my own opinion regarding anyone," he said. (swe/Wisnu Pramudya)