NU Chief Backs Prabowo's Bid for Presidency

Depok, W Java (Antara) - Chief of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic organization Said Agil Siradj stated that he personally supports Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) chief patron Prabowo Subianto's bid for presidency in the July 9 poll. "NU members are free to choose their presidential candidates, but I personally support Prabowo," Said Agil said on the sidelines of the inauguration of the executive board of the organization's branch at Kubah Emas (Golden Doom) Mosque here on Thursday. NU, a traditionalist Sunni Islam group, is Indonesia's largest Islamic organization, with an estimated 30 million members across the country. As a general, Prabowo has the courage, firm attitude and strong integrity to change Indonesia for the better, he said. Prabowo is a firm Indonesian citizen who cares about the life of common people such as farmers, workers, fishermen, he added. To address the myriad problems facing the country, a firm attitude needs to be taken to achieve the best possible solution for the community, he pointed out. "We must also be sovereign not only in geographic but also in economic, political and cultural terms," he said. Today Indonesia must be led by a person who has the courage to make Indonesia sovereign in terms of the economy, he remarked. "Don't let Indonesia be controlled by investors," he said. (*) Reporting by Feru Lantara