Leader: PBNU Has Never Proposed A Presidential Candidate Or Vice President In Political Contests

Head of Tanfiziah PBNU KH Marsudi Syuhud. ANTARA/Anita Permata Dewi

JAKARTA - The chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) Marsudi Syuhud said that PB NU had never proposed a presidential or vice-presidential candidate from his side in a political contest, but was nominated.

"As a large cadre organization, NU has figures down to the village level, even to the RT and RW levels," Marsudi said in a statement received in Jakarta, Monday, December 13.

He also revealed that there are various NU members who are members of the DPR, governors, mayors, and regents. NU's moderate views are not only influential in Indonesia, but also in the world.

On the same occasion, Marsudi also emphasized that NU was not co-opted to only one party.

“If it is said that they are only co-opted to one party, then there are no mayors and regents from existing parties, such as the Golkar Party and PDIP. This is the wrong way of reading," he said as quoted by Antara.

Marsudi revealed that the NU congress, or a large meeting of representatives of NU organizations, not only discussed the succession of general chairmen and rais aam, but also discussed state politics, such as climate change, the Draft Bill on the Criminal Code (RUU KUHP). , and the Household Assistant Bill.

"Said Aqil (Chairman of PBNU, ed.) also has a legacy in science, such as building education from villages to cities through Islamic boarding schools," Marsudi added. On the other hand, Indonesian Solidarity Party politician Guntur Romli warned that NU would not become a stepping stone to enter the vortex of power politics. This is in line with the statement of PBNU's Katib Aam Yahya Staquf who did not want any presidential and vice presidential candidates from PBNU. Yahya Staquf is a candidate for PBNU General Chair who will compete with PBNU General Chair Said Aqil.

"There needs to be a commitment to raising culture and not using NU as a stepping stone. Like Kiai Ma'ruf, Rais Aam at that time who later became vice president. But we saw that the political vortex at that time was extraordinary," said Guntur, who is also a supporter of Yahya Staquf.

Guntur said that NU as a political consolidation does not guarantee success in political contestation.

"NU is state politics, such as the acceptance of the single principle of Pancasila, populist politics is very effective. But when it comes to power politics, NU is not necessarily effective in the presidential and regional elections. Currently, NU is still co-opted in one party. It should be between the daily administrators (PBNU) It can't be party administrators," said Guntur again.