Ahok will give testimony in Gus Dur's death anniversary

Jakarta, NU Online
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 Dur's 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.

"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 Dur's 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.

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. 

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 Tebuireng pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in Jombang, East Java, his gravesite has been crammed with visitors from morning till night.

Reporting by Alamsyah M Dja'far; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq