Top cleric decides to support Mega

Nana Rukmana, Cirebon

A prominent Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cleric who organized two meetings to support the nomination of Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has switched to Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi.

Cirebon's Buntet Islamic boarding school spokesman Adib Rofi'uddin said on Monday that kyai khos (senior ulema) Abdullah Abbas had decided to throw his weight behind the candidates of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) after Gus Dur was disqualified.

Adib said the clerics of the boarding school had met to discuss current political issues, particularly the July 5 presidential election, and unanimously decided to back the Megawati-Hasyim pairing.

Adib said Abbas was absent from the gathering for health reasons, but had told the rest of the clerics through his brother Nahduddin Abbas that he endorsed the PDI-P candidates.

"We have consulted kyai Abdullah Abbas about the results of the meeting, which he approved," Adib said.

He added the decision to support Megawati and Hasyim followed the request of a group of West Java NU clerics, who met on May 18 in Cirebon.

"The pair is expected to be able to accommodate people's aspirations for the betterment of the nation and NU members in particular. We hope they will uphold the supremacy of law, democracy and political stability, and improve the economy," he said.

Nahduddin confirmed on Monday his brother's nod to the Megawati-Hasyim pair. "Buntet boarding school's extended family supported the decision," he said.

Abdullah was among the 31 influential clerics who met at Buntet in February and in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, in April to endorse former president Gus Dur's comeback bid. Gus Dur, a former NU chairman, was nominated by the National Awakening Party (PKB), which he cofounded.

Several clerics, including Abdullah Faqih from Langitan in Tuban, East Java, held talks with PKB leaders in mid-May, and decided to support Golkar presidential and vice presidential candidates Gen. (ret) Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid if Gus Dur was disqualified by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Solahuddin was NU deputy chairman until his resignation, and is a former activist with the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and Gus Dur's brother.

In regards the KPU's decision, Adib said the clerics regretted Gus Dur's disqualification and would accept his decision not to exercise his right to vote.