Envoys and poor visit Gus Dur

WHEN Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, had an open house recently, his visitors were not only local politicians and foreign envoys, but also parents who wanted a name for their newborn children and even travellers who had run out of money.

The head of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama, was on hand to receive all his guests, regardless of their purpose, throughout the 15 days of the open house from Dec 20, The Jakarta Post quoted an aide as saying.

A mother of three who was at the open house said: “It’s been a long time since common people like us could talk face to face with their leader.”