Tutut's planned visit irks NU, PKB
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.