GUS DUR-PROVOKED CONTROVERSIES BENEFITED NATION : MUHAMMADIYAH CHIEF

Jombang, Dec 31 (ANTARA) - Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said the public controveries former president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) had caused during his life-time were very useful for the nation.

"A lot of his controversial ideas have proven to be of invaluable benefit to the state and nation," Din said after attending Wahid's burial in the Tebuireng Islamic boarding school compound in Jombang, East Java, on Thursday.

He said Wahid's constroversial ideas were useful among other things for developing and strengthening pluralism which was needed by the nation.

"The controveries Gus Dur triggered proved useful in strengthening pluralism and promoting democracy for which he had been fighting for such a long time," he said.

Therefore, Din said, not only members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) but all Moslems in Indonesia, including Muhammadiyah members, were mourning his death.

"On behalf of all Muhammadiyah members, I express my deepest condolences and pray that God will forgive his sins and take him to heaven," he said.

Gus Dur as the former president was popularly called died at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta at 18.45 pm on Wednesday, after being treated there for several days. Gus Dur had a history of health problems , including strokes. He is survived by a wife and four daughters.

He was buried besides the tomb of his grandfather, KH Hasyim Asya'ari, who founded NU, now the largest Islamic organization in the country, in 1926.

Gus Dur was buried in a state ceremony led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Thousands of people attended the ceremony.

Gus Dur served as Indonesia's fourth president from October 1999 to July 2001 and was replaced by Megawati Soekarnoputri who had been his vice president.***4***