E. Java's NU chairman: Let kiai stand on their own viewpoint

Nganjur, NU online
Chairman of the East Java's NU Regional Board KH Hasan Mutawakkil Alallah called on people to remain calm and respect the kiai (clerics) viewpoint in determining their choice in the second round of the East Java's gubernatorial election.

"Let the kiai stand on their own ijtihad (viewpoint)," he told NU Online in Nganjuk, East Java on Monday (13/10).<>

The leader of Zainul Hasan Islamic boarding school (pesantren), Genggong, Probolinggo, expressed his deeply concern over the parties intending to break the unity among the kiai.

Political parties in the province have recruited members from Nahdlatul Ulama, the dominant local Muslim organization, as a strategy to win the province's first-ever gubernatorial election.

The tight East Java gubernatorial race will go to the second round after none of the five pairs of candidates managed to secure more than 30 percent of the vote, the threshold required by the 2008 regional administration law.

The pair of Soekarwo and Saifullah Yusuf (Karsa) will face their strongest opponents Khofifah Indar Parawansa and Mudjiono (Ka-ji) in the second round of the election.

Based on the recapitulation of the manual counting result of the East Java General Elections Commission (KPUD), Karsa is in the first place with 4.498.332 eligible voters or 26,43 percent and followed by Ka-ji with 4.223.089 voters or 24,82 percent. (sbh)