Elections: Clerics want NU to remain apolitical

Suherdjoko ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Semarang   |  Tue, 01/13/2009 12:50 PM  |  Headlines

Senior clerics from Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim group, have made a pre-election pledge to maintain impartiality, despite the fact many of its 40 million members are involved in politics.

Summing up their one-day gathering Monday at the Edi Mancoro Islamic boarding school in Semarang, Central Java, some 200 senior NU clerics called on all members to uphold the founding statute of the group as a nonpolitical organization.

Reading out the statement, the clerics' spokesman Mustofa Bisri said political rivalries among NU members should not be allowed to tear apart one of the country's oldest Muslim groups.

"We must cling together despite the different *political* aspirations and fight for the welfare of all," said Mustofa, a renowned poet.

In a show of consistency, the clerics refused to grant NU politicians Muhaimin Iskandar and Abdul Kadir Karding access to the meeting room, forcing them to wait in a downstairs lounge. Muhaimin is the chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. Abdul Kadir is a PKB executive and legislative candidate.

The country will hold legislative elections on April 9, with the presidential election following three months later. Of the 38 political parties allowed to contest the legislative elections, three - the PKB, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Nahdlatul Ummah Awakening Party (PKNU) - claim to represent NU.

The clerics have no place in the NU hierarchy, but play an important role because of their influential stature.

The clerics said neither NU members nor other individuals or organizations contesting the legislative and presidential elections could flaunt the group's symbols during campaigning.

"We ulema have often reminded NU politicians of the principles, but they always violate them. There is no punishment but social sanction," Mustofa said.

"The Ulema cannot stop stressing this point."

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