Ulema want NU congress to empower 'syuriah'

Blontank Poer and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

Dozens of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) senior clerics want the country's largest Muslim organization to give the leader of its lawmaking body the power to dismiss members of the central executive board for political offenses.

M. Zaim Ahmad Ma'sum, spokesman for the clerics, said on Monday this power was necessary to prevent the NU from being dragged into practical politics, as many of the clerics believe occurred under current executive chairman Hasyim Muzadi.

The authority of the syuriah (lawmaking body) must be strengthened to allow the leader of the body to dismiss the executive chairman if he violates NU regulations, Zaim said.

"Over the past five years, the NU has been damaged by bitter internal bickering amid the weak position of the syuriah," he said.

Most of the senior clerics calling for more power for the lawmaking body are supporters of former NU chairman Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who opposes Hasyim's reelection as chairman. They include Tuan Guru Turmudzi Badruddin, Mas Subadar, Sanusi Baco, Muhaiminan Gunardho and Abdullah Abbas.

Zaim said the lawmaking body's lack of authority prevented it from taking action if the executive chairman attempted to use the NU for his own political gains.

"It is not because Sahal Mahfudz is not credible as the current syuriah chairman, but because certain people on the executive board availed of his goodness (to misuse the NU).

"To prevent these types of incidents from happening in the future, we suggest that the syuriah be granted more authority to dismiss members of the executive board," Zaim said.

Former NU deputy chairman Solahudin Wahid said Sahal failed to prevent Hasyim from politicizing the religious organization.

"The syuriah is the supreme body in the NU and has the authority to take firm action against any violations," he said.

"Pak Sahal is too weak to do so, while Pak Hasyim hides behind the goodness of Pak Sahal," Solahudin said.

While presenting his accountability report on Monday during the ongoing five-day NU congress in Surakarta, Central Java, Hasyim said Sahal had endorsed his decision to contest the recent presidential election as the running mate of Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Zaim said that according to NU tradition, clerics hold the supreme authority in the Islamic organization and should be able to remove NU executives who violate the organization's principle of staying out of practical politics.

"Like a company, the syuriah is the board of commissioners and the executive board is the board of directors. And it is normal for commissioners or owners to dismiss any directors found in violation of regulations," he said.

Zaim said a team of 23 clerics had been set up to lobby and push for a revision of the NU's standing orders in order to empower the lawmaking body.

The syuriah already has the right to approve or reject candidates for the NU's top executive post.

Leaders of the NU's lawmaking and executive bodies are elected during national congresses for five-year terms.