Jakarta – Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) clerics have issued conflicting statements to voters grouped in the country's largest Muslim organisation in the run-up to the September 20 presidential poll.
Some weeks ago, a number of clerics who run Islamic boarding schools in Pasuruan, East Java, issued a statement against female leaders. Then on Sunday, some clerics who met in Lirboyo boarding school in Malang, East Java, called on NU supporters not to vote for a candidate with a military background.
The female leader is a clear reference to President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who will face her former chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a retired army general, in the runoff poll.
Lirboyo boarding school leader Idris Marzuki announced his own election "guidelines", which included an instruction for Muslim voters to shun military candidates. His statement was issued shortly after a series of meetings with Ms Megawati's running mate Hasyim Muzadi, a former NU chairman.
The recommendation will counter the move by Raudatul Ulum boarding school leaders in Pasuruan, who forbade Muslims from choosing a woman as president, Mr Idris said.
The anti-military recommendation was signed by clerics from various Muslim boarding schools across East Java.
The populous East Java, an NU stronghold, will be one of the most hotly contested areas as there are more than 25 million registered voters – one-sixth of the nation's electorate.
Shortly before the first round of voting in July, a number of clerics recommended that NU followers vote for the Golkar party's presidential candidate Wiranto and his running mate, NU figure Solahuddin Wahid. This was in addition to an order for Muslims not to vote for a woman.
Mr Bambang and his running mate, Mr Jusuf Kalla, garnered the highest number of votes in the July poll in East Java, followed by the Megawati-Hasyim ticket and the Wiranto-Solahuddin pairing.
Meanwhile, the UN Development Programme said here yesterday that some 500 international observers will oversee the final round of the poll while at least 40,000 national monitors will be deployed.