Former NU Chairman Supports Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla

Jakarta (Antara) - Former chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama KH Hasyim Muzadi expressed his personal support for Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate pair Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla to compete in Indonesia's presidential election due to be held on July 9. The support was given to the pair by considering the fact that Jusuf Kalla was the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cadre who had proven his capability, integrity, and visionary for the sake of the nation, he said here Wednesday. "No one doubts Jusuf Kalla's practices of Islam, the values of his Nahdlatul Ulama, his integrity, his visionary, and his competence in dealing with the nation's problems." "The results of Jusuf Kalla's good deeds in resolving such matters as sectarian conflicts and Aceh problem, are also obvious. He is brave but not extreme," he said. As a businessman and an economist, Jusuf Kalla was able to develop the native Indonesians' economy as ever done by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, he said. According to Hasyim Muzadi, he made his decision because he had ever conveyed that he would support the NU cadre nominated as either the presidential or vice presidential candidate. "Therefore, I should be consistent with what I have ever said," he said adding that the decision had nothing to do with his personal fanaticism but the fact that lots of Indonesian Muslims were the NU cadres and followers. (*)