Kepemimpinan Abdurrahman Wahid dalam Suksesi Pemimpinan Nasional di Indonesia

Abstract

The paper analyzes the success and leadership of Abdurrahman Wahid alias Gus Dur, a Islam leader, in Indonesia. Gus Dur is a person, who became the fourth president of Indonesia while he was as a chairman in the office of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in 1999. He obtained positive favor and support from all the classes in the country at that time. The reason he became a president of Republic of Indonesia was due to his prestigious status in the society despite his apparent physical defect.  The success and leadership of Gus Dur for becoming a president was due on his ability to organize and obtain support from Muslims and many other politicians, and other several factors. The most major factor was his genealogy. Gus Dur had a blood relation with three prominent founders, namely K.H. Hasyim Asy’ari, K.H. Wahab Hasbullah, and K.H. Bisri Syansuri. And, he is also one of the twelfth generations of king Brawidjaya VI. A genealogy problem within tradition of NU was a powerful factor. In fact, NU had a tradition, which admired a person who came from honorable background. Therefore, the respect and support of NU members to Gus Dur were very solid. The relationship between the leaders and their followers was recognized as a more absolute one, which was similar to the relationship between Ulama and Santri. The relationship between Ulama and NU was the relationship of patron-client. The relationship of kyai, which was formed around podok pesantren cannot check easily by the kind of political power. As a result, the relationship among Gus Dur, peasantren and NU was solid with absolute bond. Therefore, loyalty to Gus Dur was absolute because the relation of obedience was formed through that kind of relationship. Gus Dur was able to organize all classes because he was recognized as a person who observed the middle path. Gus Dur worked to develop new thinking and concept for Islamic religion in Indonesia and also, he often tried to show a lot of consideration to protect democracy through Forum Democracy (FORDEM), which was organized by Gus Du and the intellectual in 1991. His leadership, which was formed through these factors affected not only to the members who were inside his organization but also, so far as to the outsiders to appoint him as president. Therefore, the relationship among his followers was solid that his leadership will be continuing despite the often-uneven circumstances.