Cak Imin Absent At PBNU Inauguration, Observer: NU Puts Distance With PKB

Muhaimin Iskandar (Photo: DOK PKB.id))

JAKARTA - PKB General Chair Muhaimin Iskandar alias Cak Imin was absent from the PBNU inauguration ceremony in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. This is certainly in the spotlight because in the previous management, Cak Imin was active in various PBNU events.

Esa Unggul University political communication observer M. Jamiluddin Ritonga assessed that Cak Imin's absence was not surprising.

The reason is, Cak Imin is not part of the carriage of the General Chairperson of PBNU Yahya Cholil Staquf or Gus Yahya who wants to return NU to its khittah as KH Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur aspired. Cak Imin, said Jamiluddin, was also considered a figure who was disloyal to Gus Dur.

"Indications in that direction were seen when Cak Imin took over as the General Chair of the PKB. The incident seems to still have an imprint on Gusdurian circles," Jamiluddin said in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 2.

For this reason, according to Jamiluddin, the PBNU management under the leadership of Gus Yahya is currently distancing itself from PKB. Especially with Cak Imin. Because that way, he said, NU could be as ideal as Gus Dur wanted, namely to be everywhere.

"So, NU seems to want to show that it is not part of PKB. NU wants to say, PKB is part of NU. This thinking is logical, because it was NU that formed PKB," said Jamiluddin.

Meanwhile, Jamiluddin continued, if NU put a distance, of course the PKB would lose. Because the majority of PKB supporters are NU residents. "It looks like it will be seen in the 2024 election," said Jamiluddin.

It is known that the event was attended by President Joko Widodo and the chairman of the DPR RI as well as the chairman of the PDIP DPP Puan Maharani.