PPP Approaches Islamic Boarding Schools

KEDIRI, KOMPAS.com - The United Development Party (PPP) has started approaching Islamic boarding school leaders in East Java ahead of the general elections in 2014.

The board members of the party on Saturday visited the biggest Islamic boarding schools in Kediri, East Java, namely a boarding school in Ploso, the Lirboyo boarding school and LDII boarding school Wali Barokah. PPP chief Suryadharma Ali said during the visit to the Wali Barokah boarding school that the visit was merely for building brotherhood.

When asked about the party’s candidate for the presidential election in 2014 he said the party still had yet to select one. He said the party had not decided whether it would come up with its own candidate or coalesce with other parties in supporting another.

The party was still concentrating on mapping the political constellation in the country. In Ploso Suryadharma was received by school principal Zainudin Jazuli, in Lirboyo by KH Idris Marzuki and in Wali Barokah by the general chairman of the LDII (Indonesian Islamic Propagation Institute),Abdullah Syam, and the institute’s board members.

Abdullah Syam said when asked about the party leaders’ visit that LDII welcomed any figure visiting its boarding school. "We will receive guests from any party. LDII is an independent institution. We will also not encourage our members to support a certain figure."

He stated people were now smarter and did not like to be told who to choose in legislative or executive elections. He added he would also let people decide for themselves.

"We told them to be good citizens and we would not advise them to become absentees. Regarding colors (the parties) we did not discuss it," he said adding that LDII had 25 million members across the country.

Indonesia will hold general elections in 2014 to choose legislative members which will be followed by a presidential election. Current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will no longer be able to join the race as he would by then have served two terms or the maximum number allowed by law.