Vice President Ma'ruf Amin Reminded PKB Not To Leave Kiai Politics Behind

Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin when giving directions at the Ijtima Ulama Nusantara/ANTARA event

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma’ruf Amin hopes that the National Awakening Party (PKB) will not leave the politics of the kiai which became the basis for the formation of the political party in 1998. "Hopefully the PKB is still a party of the kiai political movement. I hope that even though there are dynamics, developments, updates, but the politics of the kiai should not be abandoned," said Ma'ruf Amin in his direction at the Ijtima Ulama Nusantara event which was initiated by the PKB DPP Shura Council in Jakarta, Antara, Friday, January 13. The politics of the kiai referred to by Vice President Ma'ruf, namely PKB, is expected to remain a forum for the political movement for kiai to contribute to the nation and state. Kiai Ma’ruf Amin, who co-founded, prepared and provided a basis for thinking that the formation of the PKB emphasized the formation of a party in 1998 based on the desire to create a forum for kiai or ulama to contribute to the nation and state. If the PKB leaves the politics of the kiai, the kiai in the PKB will leave. "Why do I know, yes, because I co-founded, co-founded, helped prepare, helped provide a basis for his thinking (the establishment of PKB), even though I may have been considered non-PKB anymore. However, I joined together and succeeded at that time as number three (third-ranked party), even succeeded in making Gus Dur the President of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said. With the PKB, Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur can become President of the Republic of Indonesia, even though it is only for two years. Ma'ruf reminded us not to let the country's leaders be quiet from the figure of the kiai and hopes that the kiai can become president and vice president in the future. "We really hope that this country will not be quiet from the kiai, what is the president, is it the vice president. At least students, is it true or not? That's why there must be a kiai or santri who becomes president or vice president,” he explained. "Gus Dur has started. I follow even if it is only (to become) the vice president. Later there will be another president or vice president (from the kiai or santri) so that he can provide a color to the order of life of this nation," he added. Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that he would no longer run in the 2024 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections. "I am old, I am almost 80 years old. March 80 (years)," he said. He conveyed that he was old enough to then decide to run again in the upcoming presidential election so that the opportunity for the upcoming presidential election should be given to younger figures. "I'm old enough. I must have given opportunities to the younger ones," he said.