Jakarta – Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, sounded a rallying call yesterday for the newly founded People's Awakening Party (PKB), declaring it was an open organization without ethnic or religious prejudice.
Although the party is not officially affiliated to NU, its formation signifies the return of senior NU members to formal politics under a united institution. Abdurrahman, commonly referred to as Gus Dur, is not on the executive board of the party, but his enthusiastic backing could greatly influence voting of the claimed 40-million-strong NU.
During a ceremony inaugurating the party at his residence in South Jakarta, Abdurrahman pledged the party would rely on an open-membership recruitment system despite its Moslem-oriented principles. He cited a 1935 NU congress in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, which issued an important recommendation which subsequently became the standard for NU members. "The congress recommended that it is not obligatory for Indonesian Moslems to establish an Islamic state," he said.
Abdurrahman maintained that Indonesia comprises three major races: Malay, Austro-Melanesian and Chinese. He even acknowledged his own Chinese and Arab ancestry. "A distant ancestor of mine was Chinese. His name is Tan Kim Han. "
NU was established in 1926 as a socioreligious organization. It was formerly a powerful political party before merging with three other Moslem parties to form the United Development Party (PPP) in 1973. In 1984, when Abdurrahman took over the chairmanship from Idham Chalid, NU severed formal ties with PPP and avoided party politics.
Senior NU member Matori Abdul Djalil has been chosen to head the new party with Alwi Shihab, brother of former religious affairs minister Quraish Shihab, and PPP legislator Chofifah Endar Parawansa among the eight deputies. The post of secretary-general is held by Muhaimin Iskandar, an NU youth figure and also a nephew of Abdurrahman, and the treasurer is Imam Churmein. Deputy chairman of NU's syurzyah (law-making body) Ma'ruf Amin was elected chairman of the party's supervisory council and leading NU Central Java member Cholil Bisri as his deputy.
Stressing NU members' commitment to channel their political aspirations to the new party, Abdurrahman said he was confident it could win the general election expected in May next year. Matori Abdul Djalil said the party would be willing to cooperate with other groups for the betterment of the country. "The People's Awakening Party is ready to struggle and fight in the next general election. If necessary, the PKB will be ready to form a coalition with other political forces."
Observers believe the close ties of Abdurrahman and Indonesian Democratic Party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri make an alliance between the two a strong possibility.
The launching received much attention, with a distinguished guest list including former vice president Try Sutrisno, former minister of defense and security Edi Sudradjat and former deputy Army chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Soerjadi. Both Edi and Try welcomed the establishment of the party but stopped short of giving their political endorsement.
"We need to support any party which puts nationalism as its principles. However, I've never recommended to members of Pepabri (Armed Forces Pensioners Association) this party," Edi said, adding that he attended the event in his personal capacity. Try said people should respect the establishment of any party with nationalist platforms.
Support also came from Moslem scholar Nurcholish Madjid, who said it was a good development for NU members to have their own political party. Speaking in Yogyakarta, he said the party must be able to accommodate aspirations of all NU members if it wished to emerge as a major political contender.