Gus Yahya Becomes Elected PBNU Chair, Bambang Soesatyo: PBNU Will Get Bigger, His Track Record Needs No Doubt

Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly, Bambang Soesatyo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The chairman of the MPR RI, Bambang Soesatyo, believes that Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is getting stronger and bigger under the leadership of KH Yahya Cholil Staquf because of his experience and track record, in terms of da'wah, organization, and statehood.

"KH Yahya Cholil Staquf's track record cannot be doubted. He is the son of (late) KH Cholil Bisri, the caretaker of Ponpes Raudlatut Thalibin Rembang. KH Yahya Cholil Staquf is also a student (late) KH Ali Maksum in Krapyak, Yogyakarta," said Bambang Soesatyo in his statement, quoted from Antara, Saturday, December 25.

He explained that in the state, Gus Yahya had been a spokesman for President KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur). Therefore, according to him, it is not surprising that Gus Yahya has inherited Gus Dur's spirit of tolerance and pluralism.

"As the largest Islamic organization in the world, with a membership of 79 million people, NU is not only a social force for the Indonesian people in maintaining unity and integrity. NU has also always been a world social force in presenting Islam that is tasamuh (tolerant), tawazun (balanced) harmony), tawassuth (moderate), and ta'adul (justice)," he said.

He explained that in the midst of a world situation that is still haunted by terrorism, NU has become a "bastion" of world defense because it has always firmly rejected terrorism.

According to him, NU has always fought terror acts carried out in the name of any religion and by any organization.

"NU has never provided space for radical understanding, while at the same time it has always provided enlightenment to the people that acts of terror are not justified in the name of religion," he said.

Bamsoet considered that one of the biggest challenges that NU had to answer was how to attract young people and urbanites. According to him, this is so that the NU base is not only present in various villages, but can also penetrate to the "heart" of urban areas.