Tutut's planned visit irks NU, PKB

Indra Harsaputra and Abdul Kholik, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya/Jakarta

The National Awakening Party (PKB) and Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) expressed skepticism on Tuesday over the planned visit by Siti 'Tutut' Hardijanti Rukmana, the eldest daughter of former president Soeharto, to Islamic boarding schools in East Java.

PKB East Java chapter deputy chairman Fatorrosjid said Tutut's visit had worried several ulemas in the province, who believe the trip would be used for political motives as she had been nominated as presidential candidate by the ultraconservative, New Order-embracing Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB).

"The PKB can't ban Tutut from coming to the province, but we do question her motives," Fatorrosjid told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He said Tutut was planning to visit several boarding schools in East Java, including the influential Salafiyah Syafiiyah Islamic boarding school in Situbondo. He, however, did not say exactly when Tutut would drop in.

He added that the PKB and NU would "prepare" for the visit so that it would not be used to declare support for certain political parties.

"It's OK is she comes here personally. But she better not expect to meet with NU leaders or any party members," he said.

The PKPB was created by and now chaired by former Army chief Gen. (ret) R. Hartono, reportedly at the behest of Soeharto himself.

East Java is a stronghold of PKB, the political party established by NU leaders.

On Monday, several ulemas from Islamic boarding schools in East Java and loosely connected to NU, visited Soeharto at his residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, creating speculation that they could be leaning toward support of Tutut and PKPB.

However, NU East Java chapter chairman Ali Maschan Moesa said he thought the ulema's visit could well have been a "political mission", while adding that it was not done on the instructions of the NU leadership.

"Even though they (the Soeharto-visiting ulemas) are not part of the leadership structure, ethically they should not have visited Cendana," Ali said referring to the name of Soeharto's address on Jl. Cendana.

"If they wanted to see him, why didn't they go long ago. Why now, just before election campaigning starts?" he wondered.

Separately, former NU chairman Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said the ulema visit was meaningless, because they were "small peanuts" with very little influence.

"They are ulema kacangan (peanuts) who have no followers. Don't bother stressing about it, they just visited (Soeharto)," Gus Dur, who is also a former President, explained after giving a speech at the International Seminar of Islamic Scholars in Jakarta.