Arifin Junaidi, the deputy secretary-general of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, which Abdurrahman chairs, said his condition was "getting better and better".
"He communicated with his wife by calling out 'mama', although he was still mumbling when he said the word," Arifin told The Jakarta Post last night.
Arifin said earlier in the afternoon that Abdurrahman, commonly referred to as Gus Dur, had asked his family to provide a portable tape recorder so he could listen to his favorite classical music, Beethoven.
"That was his first demand and he listened to the music through the set," Arifin said, adding that Abdurrahman conveyed messages by writing on apiece of paper.
"Thank God, there have been a lot of improvements," Arifin said with a sigh of relief.
The chairman of the 30-million-strong NU suffered a stroke late Monday night and was rushed to Cipto Mangunkusomo Hospital in Central Jakarta.
On Tuesday he underwent brain surgery to stop internal bleeding. Concerns were high as he had still not regained consciousness Tuesday night.
Arifin said Abdurrahman, 57, was conscious early yesterday morning and alert enough to respond to doctor's questions.
"When asked by doctors whether he felt any pain, he shook his head " Arifin said, adding that Abdurrahman was also able to lift his legs.
Arifin quoted doctors as saying that Abdurrahman had showed extraordinary progress.
An announcement signed by the hospital's spokesman, Dr. Hermansyur Kartowisastro, confirmed the progress. The announcement, stuck to the glass door of the intensive care unit, said Abdurrahman's condition was improving but the aid of a respirator was still needed.
Abdurrahman, grandson of NU's founding father, Hasyim Azhari, and son of former NU chairman, Wahid Hasyim, is known as a vocal government critic and respected political commentator.
The flurry of prominent figures, officials and government critics coming to visit Abdurrahman at the hospital continued yesterday, among them former governor of Jakarta Ali Sadikin, former cabinet minister Emil Salim, Minister of Information R. Hartono, Army Special Force chief Maj. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid and Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya.
Ali Sadikin, known for his outward criticism of the government was leaving the hospital when he passed Hartono who had just arrived.
But Hartono apparently did not see Ali Sadikin and jumped in surprise when he was tapped on the shoulder by the former governor.
"How are you?" Ali said. A surprise looking Hartono replied that he was fine.
Also visiting yesterday were social observer Franz Magnis Suseno, National Commission on Human Rights member Albert Hasibuan, Harry Tjan Silalahi from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and poet Emha Ainun Nadjib.
In Semarang, Central Java, thousands of NU loyalists held a prayer for Abdurrahman Tuesday.
The chairman of the NU Central Java branch, Achmad, told the Post that leaders of NU branches in the region would come to Jakarta to visit Gus Dur. (10/har)
