No Longer A Cadre, Lukman Edy's Statement At PBNU Does Not Represent PKB

Former Secretary General of PKB Lukman Edy at the PBNU Office, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, July 31. (Diah/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Jazilul Fawaid, said Lukman Edy's statements at the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board office were obsolete and misleading. The reason is, Lukman Edy has no longer been a PKB cadre since 10 years ago.

According to Jazilul, all Lukman Edy's statements when giving information at PBNU headquarters did not have a solid basis related to PKB. Because it is not a cadre, Jazilul assessed that Lukman Edy had no right to talk about PKB.

"Lukman Edy is no longer a member of the PKB, so his statement does not have a legal standing. (Lukman Edy? No right to carry the name of PKB," said Jazilul when confirmed, Thursday, August 1. In fact, continued Jazilul, the statement of the former Secretary General of PKB was obsolete and misleading. He considered that Lukman only wanted to divide PKB solidity under the leadership of Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin.

"The statement is outdated, misleading and the motive is to divide PKB solidity," said Jazilul.

The Deputy Chairperson of the MPR also responded to Lukman Edy's statement that the authority of the Shura Council during Cak Imin's leadership had been removed. Jazilul emphasized that the Shura Council still has duties and authorities in accordance with AD/ART. "And the results of the PKB Congress in Bali stipulate that the General Chairperson is the minister of the congress who has the highest authority in the party," said the East Java electoral district legislator.

Previously, the former Secretary General of PKB for the period 2005-2007 and 2009-2014, Lukman Edy gave information to the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board yesterday afternoon. The statement lasted for about 2 hours.

Lukman Edy explained the issue of disharmony between PKB and PBNU. According to him, one of the triggers was because the General Chairperson of PKB, Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin removed the authority of the Shura Council which contained 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 we 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 syuro council anymore," said Lukman Edy at the PBNU Office, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, July 31.

Not only the central level management, since the congress in Bali 5 years ago, Cak Imin also eliminated decision making to overhaul the party structure at the regional leadership council (DPW) level to the branch leadership council (DPC).

"Not only determining strategic party policy policies, but it can even dismiss DPW, it can dismiss DPC without deliberation, without any regional deliberation or branch deliberation. It can even negate the results of branch deliberations and the results of regional deliberation. So, the authority is centralized to the general chairman," said Lukman.

Lukman Edy even assessed that Cak Imin had been the General Chair of PKB for too long. Until now, Cak Imin has been leading the PKB for 19 years, from 2005 to 2024 and is still in office.

"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.