Calls Cak Imin Too Long To Become Chairman, Former Secretary General Of PKB: Troubled Ethics

Former Secretary General (Sekjen) of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Lukman Edy/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Former Secretary General (Secretary General) of the National Awakening Party (PKB), Lukman Edy, assessed that Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) had served as Chairman of PKB for too long.

Until now, Cak Imin is noted to have led PKB for 19 years, from 2005 to 2024 and is still in office.

Regarding Cak Imin's term of office, Lukman Edy conveyed to the special committee (special committee) of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) when asking for information on the PKB disharmony problem with PBNU.

"I told PBNU earlier to the team that Cak Imin has been leading for too long, it has been 19 years, almost 20 years leading PKB," said Lukman at the PBNU office, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, July 31.

Lukman admitted that there are no rules in the PKB articles of association and household budget (AD/ART) that limit the length of office of the general chairman. However, he emphasized that this was an ethical issue.

"There is no (restrictions). Yes, AD / ART does not matter. Just Ethics with problems," said Lukman.

Lukman argues that there are still many party cadres who are also Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figures who are quite worthy of being the next PKB General Chair.

"From the internal PKB DPP, we now have a lot of figures. From NU, there are also many NU figures. They are still good at it," he said.

In addition, Lukman Edy also explained one of the triggers for disharmony between PKB and PBNU. Cak Imin, according to him, has removed the authority of the Shura Council which contains NU kiai in making party decisions.

The removal of the Syuro Council's authority occurred when PKB held a congress in Bali in 2019. At that time, Cak Imin returned to his position as chairman of the party for further management.

"In the past, the mandatory of the PKB Congress was the Shura Council. It was the Shura Council that gave approval if it wanted to raise the chairman, the A, B, or C. But since the congress in Bali, most of the Syuro Council's authority has been removed within the AD/ART, so we don't see the role of the Shura Council anymore," said Lukman.

From this condition, Lukman considered it natural if there was an assumption that Cak Imin was authoritarian in managing the party. Because, according to him, PKB from the womb of NU cannot let go of the role of the scholars.

"We know that PKB is the spirit of the ulama. The structure of the PKB is in the kiai. The history of the formation of the PKB is history formed by PBNU, formed by kiai. Team Lima consists of kiayi. So, the spirit of the PKB is the kiai," he concluded.