Is Muhaimin target for PKB realistic?

Jakarta, NU Online
After a series of internal rows, the religious-nationalist National Awakening Party (PKB) - which since its establishment in 1998 has been closely linked with the largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) - has targeted 15 percent of seats in the House of Representatives in the upcoming general election, and without its former chief and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

The government-recognized PKB boss, Muhaimin Iskandar, recently insisted publicly that the two major internal conflicts that had plagued the party over the past five years would likely have no negative impact on the party's performance in the legislative election.<>

Gus Dur was "ousted" from the PKB leadership and not allowed to nominate legislative candidates, after the Court nominated Muhaimin as chairman of the party, and the government accepted Muhaimin's leadership of the PKB.

Muhaimin has said he is confident that his party will win at least 15 percent (100 seats in parliament) in the election, but many have questioned his target.

"One positive outcome from our conflict with Gus Dur is that we have been able to regain supporters from the Greater Jakarta area, West Java and Banten, who considered Gus Dur's political maneuvers harmful to the party."

Muhaimin claims Gus Dur's "ousting" was positive for the party and its legislative candidates, adding that it had the full support of NU clerics. The move would enable PKB to reach its target, he says.

Gus Dur and his daughter Zannubah Chafsoh "Yenny" Wahid, meanwhile, have campaigned against the new PKB and called on their supporters to support Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and other parties in PKB's main stronghold (East Java) and in pesantrens in Central and West Java.

The two internal rows also indirectly gave a birth to the Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU), which has subsequently hijacked a great number of PKB politicians.

For example, 17 of 34 PKB legislators in the East Java legislature made an exodus to the PKNU and are now running for legislative candidacy under its banner.

Many scholars and students which supported the PKB in 2004 have also now crossed to the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). Is PKB facing an anti-climactic end to its golden era?

Muhaimin, also Gur Dur's nephew, claims that most NU clerics, members and supporters are still loyal to the PKB, which enabled the party to become the third simple winner after PDI Perjuangan and Golkar in 1999, and the fourth in 2004. University of Indonesia political analyst Boni Hargens, however, challenged Muhaimin's claims.

"Many people still see Gus Dur as a central figure of the NU and will tend to follow what he says." (jp/dar)