Ahok will give testimony in Gus Durs death anniversary

Jakarta, Asli Muhammadiyah. Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki Purnama Tjahaya is scheduled to attend the 4th anniversary of the death (haul) of KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), that will be held on December 28, 2013 , at Gus Durs family residence, Jln. Warung Silah 10, Ciganjur, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.

The man popularly known as Ahok will give testimony in front of the visitors. The haul will be held from noon (after dzuhur prayers) to midnight.

Ahok will give testimony in Gus Durs death anniversary (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Ahok will give testimony in Gus Durs death anniversary

"Mr. Ahok promises to fulfill the invitation of the family to be present and will share stories about the figure of KH Abdurrahman Wahid at the Gus Durs haul this month (December). As usual, there will also be attended by clerics (kiai) and (national) figures," organizing committee chief Yenny Zannuba Wahid said here on Monday (16/12).

Ahok is known as one of the outspoken figures who has personal experience with Gus Dur. The former East Belitung Regent was once praised by Gus Dur for freeing healthcare costs while leading East Belitung province. Gus Dur did support Ahok when he served as governor of Bangka Belitung in 2007.

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The 4th haul will reportedly be attended by by some 4,000 people from a number of boarding schools, religious gatherings (majlis taklim), in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi.

Abdurrahman Wahid, commonly known as Gus Dur, was born in 1940 into a highly respected family of traditionalist Muslims.

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He eventually became a leader of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Indonesian Muslim organization in Indonesia, and between 1999 and 2001 he was the fourth President of the Indonesian Republic.

Passing away in Jakarta on December 30, 2009, his death made big headlines in daily newspapers, on television and in online media. Since the day of his burial at the Tebuirengpesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Jombang, East Java, his gravesite has been crammed with visitors from morning till night.

Reporting by Alamsyah M Djafar; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/48810/ahok-will-give-testimony-in-gus-dur039s-death-anniversary

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Danger of Ebola as haj pilgrims kept in dark

Jakarta, Asli Muhammadiyah. Around 170,000 Indonesians are set to fly to Saudi Arabia for the annual haj pilgrim in the coming weeks, but few are aware of the lurking danger of the Ebola virus, following the deaths of at least 1,500 people in western Africa over the past six months.

While Indonesia is fully geared up to handle the virus with isolation facilities established in around 100 hospitals nationwide, the countrys preventive measures against the virus have been questioned.

Danger of Ebola as haj pilgrims kept in dark (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Danger of Ebola as haj pilgrims kept in dark

Indonesian Haj and Umrah Tour and Travel Union (Kesthuri) and Nahdlatul Ulamas Haj and the Umrah Counselors Association (Asbihu-NU) said recently that they had received no information from the health authorities on precautionary measures against the virus.

Travel associations were invited by the authorities for a meeting following the outbreak of MERS-CoV [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus] earlier this year. But until now, weve heard nothing from them in regard to an awareness campaign on Ebola, said Kesthuri deputy chairman Artha Hanif.

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The first batch of Indonesias haj pilgrims is slated to depart for Saudi Arabia on Sept. 1, and will return in the first week of October.

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Aunur Rafiq, a haj counselor from Jakarta-based haj and umrah (minor pilgrimage) travel company PT Gema Shafa Marwa said many of his clients were worried about the possibility of being infected with Ebola during their pilgrimage.

In our recent manasik [haj rehearsal], many of our clients raised questions about the Ebola outbreak. Since there is no guidance from the government, we could only answer their questions based on our general knowledge of the disease, he was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying.

Amid the lack of transparency in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has insisted that it is free from Ebola, which has a fatality rate of 90 percent, higher than that of MERS-CoV, which is 60 percent.

Every year about 3 million Muslims worldwide perform the Haj in Saudi Arabia, which is still dealing with the MERS-CoV outbreak.

In response to the Ebola outbreak, Saudi Arabia has blocked any haj or umrah visas for anyone traveling from the West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Asbihu-NU deputy chairman Hafidz Taftazani Hafidz said the lack of official information about Ebola left many haj counselors having to research the virus on the Internet. Fortunately, the procedures for handling MERS-CoV and Ebola cases are quite similar. I believe it wont be a problem for the on-duty haj counselors, Hafidz said.

Those infected by Ebola exhibit symptoms of sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat. The disease is highly infectious and can be transmitted through physical contact with body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, sweat and semen.

The Health Ministrys acting chief of disease control and environmental health, Agus Purwadianto, denied the governments response to the Ebola outbreak was slow and poorly coordinated.

Agus said Indonesia had followed all recommendations set out by the World Health Organization regarding the Ebola outbreak, particularly by increasing surveillance at the countrys points of entry and exit.

Both [MERS-CoV and Ebola] viruses can also be easily killed with soap. Therefore, we are able to protect ourselves from these viruses by implementing general health precautions, he said.

Agus, however, acknowledged that the authorities were prioritizing the prevention of MERS-CoV more than Ebola.

For now, we still see MERS-CoV as a bigger threat to Indonesia since it can spread through airborne transmission, and many of our citizens will soon perform the haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia [where MERS-CoV cases have been found], he said.

How to handle Ebola patients

* A patient suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus must be treated in a special isolation unit. A specially designed ambulance is required to transport the suspect and avoid virus transmission.

* A blood test in a highly secure biological laboratory must be taken within 24 hours to confirm the status of those suspected of having Ebola.

* People entering the patient room should wear gloves, fluid-resistant gowns, eye protection and face masks at the very least.

* Since there is no proven cure for Ebola, patients require intensive care, including the provision of intravenous fluids and maintenance of blood pressure, to increase the chance of survival.

* Only trained personnel wearing protective equipment should touch or move any Ebola-infected remains.

* Autopsies on patients who die of Ebola should be avoided.

* The remains should be cremated or buried promptly in a hermetically sealed casket.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/54125/danger-of-ebola-as-haj-pilgrims-kept-in-dark

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Nahdliyin told to use healthy politics

Subang, Asli Muhammadiyah. In the face of general elections, Nahdliyin (NU followers) involved themselves in practical politics should keep using ethical behavior and maintaining a healthy politics.

The leader of Al-Mizan Islamic boarding school (pesantren) Majalengka, KH. Maman Imanulhaq, made the remarks on the sidelines of a fast break meeting with officials of the National Awakening Party (PKB) at the partys office in Subang on Saturday (3/8).

Nahdliyin told to use healthy politics (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Nahdliyin told to use healthy politics

He made the remarks following the government plan to hold district head general elections in Subang in coming September and presidential elections 2014 ahead.

"We as NU followers have to keep using a healthy political culture," Kiai Maman told tens of subdistrict and district board members of PKB across Subang district.

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Politics in the concept of NU, Kiai Maman added, would always refer to the concept "Tasharruful imam ala raiyah manuthun bi al-mashlahah" (the leaders policy aims to benefit his people). So there is an attempt to seize power but it should optimally be used for the benefit of people, he said.

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"This effort must be done in healthy, professional and transparent manners so that all can work on the table, there should be no any corrupt practices, there should be no black campaign and so on," he said.

At this point, he called for the importance of NU followers to take into account of brilliant political cultures without insulting each other in winning the hearts of supporters.

"NU does not agree with the theory of any means is permissible, but we know that the power should be struggled for the benefit of all," the author of the Gus Durs Fatwa And Jokes said.

Reporting by Aiz Luthfi; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/46339/nahdliyin-told-to-use-healthy-politics

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Nahliyin told to preserve NU tradition

Semarang, Asli Muhammadiyah. In todays era there have been many mass organizations seeking to undermine the teachings of Islam. Therefore, Nahdliyin (NU followers) should continue to fortify themselves to preserve the NU long-standing traditions which are based on the teachings of Islam Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah (Aswaja).

The statement was made by the leader of Al-Islah Islamic boarding school (pesantren) Mangkang Semarang, KH Hadlor Ihsan on the sidelines of a meeting to commemorate revelation of the Quran (nuzulul quran) which was held by the Ansor Youth Movement of Genuk, Semarang, at Al-Mubarakah mosque Genuk over the weekend.

Nahliyin told to preserve NU tradition (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Nahliyin told to preserve NU tradition

Chairman of the Genuks Ansor, Muhammad Sodri say that Ansor had actively been played important roles in preserving NU traditions by focusing more on its priority programs, strengthening its belief systems, holding so-called "Rijalul Ansor" scholarly meeting, Jamaat Maulidul Rasul, carrying out social work, publication and enterpreneurship and so on.

Sodri said that young people had recently been not pay more attention to the Aswaja creeds due to the shift of people orientation from being pious to be practical.

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Meanwhile Jamil Abdullah, vice chairman of the Genuks Ansor said that its time for Nahdliyin to take part in doing various activities and other social movements for the sake of Nahdliyin instead of involving in practical politics.

Contributor : Lukni Maulana

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Editor : Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/39275/nahliyin-told-to-preserve-nu-tradition

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Indonesia more tolerant than America and Europe

Jakarta, Asli Muhammadiyah. General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Said Aqil "Kang Said" Siroj said that Indonesia has a more reliable openness than countries in America and Europe in dealing with the values of religious pluralism. In the country, religious believers have not only enjoyed freedom but also greatly appreciated every religious holiday, for example with the establishment of a national holiday.

"We can see, in America and Europe there is no such Idhul Fitri holiday for Muslims. In France, wearing hijab is also prohibited," he said in the presence of delegates of PCNU throughout eastern Indonesia in the Pre-Conference event held in Sudiang Hajj Dormitory, Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday (22/4).

Indonesia more tolerant than America and Europe (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Indonesia more tolerant than America and Europe

And in Indonesia, he added, despite the small number of Buddhists and Confucians, they have still found the freedom to celebrate their great day. According to him, this is because the Muslims who are the majority population in Indonesia could really respect any difference.

Kang Said called this attitude as a character of so-called Islam Nusantara as preserved by NU as the countrys largest Muslim organization.

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He asserted that Islam Nusantara did not see Islam as a doctrine of aqidah and syariah alone, but also about moral and civilization.

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The cleric born in Cirebon, West Java, was of the opinion Islam could not be separated from the homeland and the local cultures. Therefore, nationalism and respect for local wisdom for NU are important to create an atmosphere of peaceful religious coexistence.

"Man laisa lahul ardlun laisa Lahut tarikh. Wa man laisa Lahut tarikh laisa lahu dzakirah. Whoever has no homeland, will never have history. And whoever has no history, will never have character," Kang Said said.

According to him, in the context of statehood, loving the country should be a priority over the group including Islam. This was not present in the majority of Muslims in the Middle East so that there have always been conflicts in the region.

"(Relying on) Islam (as a doctrice of aqidah) is not enough, there must be a national commitment," he said.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/59046/039indonesia-more-tolerant-than-america-and-europe039

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Win the election without greed

Jakarta, Asli Muhammadiyah. General Chairman of the Indonesias largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), KH Said Aqil Siroj, made an appeal to all parties contesting in the next general election to restrain and win the 2014 election without greed.

He said that greed would only cause the damage to the nations life.

Win the election without greed (Sumber Gambar : Nu Online)

Win the election without greed

"Hopefully in this years political (race), we all can win without greed," he said here recently.

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"The bigger the capital, the bigger the chance to win," he added, making the audience burst into laughter.

Kang Said hoped that "whoever wins the election will remember the NUs role."

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He also warned that the recent disasters were signs from God because human beings were so greedy. During the Creation, mankind accepted Gods mandate to take the dominion over the whole earth. The mandate, Siraj said, asked mankind to uphold truth despite difficulties.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq

Dari (National) Nu Online: http://www.nu.or.id/post/read/49940/039win-the-election-without-greed039