HNW Affirms Gontor Is Not Involved In Practical Politics

Deputy Chairman of the MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid (central) and former Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin (right) at a press conference in Jakarta, Friday (20/10/2023). (ANTARA/Sean Muhamad)

Chairman of the Waqf Board of the Modern Pondok Darussalam Gontor Hidayat Nur Wahid (HNW) emphasized that his institution was not involved in practical political activities.

"Theors above and for all groups. Gontor is not practical in politics, we are neutral from any political party," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, October 20.

Even though he did not have practical politics, HNW, who is the Deputy Chair of the MPR RI, emphasized that Gontor still educates his people not to be blind to politics. In fact, alumni are now scattered in various kinds of political parties and community organizations.

"For example, here there are representatives of several parties, I am from PKS, there is Pak Lukman (Former Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin) from PPP, there are also those who become non-party kiai," he added.

Therefore, HNW said that until now Gontor had not received a visit from any presidential / vice presidential candidates.

He emphasized that Gontor already has an Indonesian nature that has been applied daily, where students from various regions in Indonesia live together without being distinguished.

"Therefore, the presidential candidates please come to other pesantren which allows for practical support," he asserted.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said that Gontor's politics is substantive politics consisting of various national and Islamic values.

"Even though they are two different things, they are actually one unit," he said, who is a Gontor alumni figure.

He explained that the Islamic value applied in Gontor also completes a person's obligations as a citizen. Vice versa, the national value applied also completes a person's obligations as a servant.

"So Gontor is not apolitical. Practical politics let the political parties there, let Gontor do a substantive political height," said Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.