Wanting To Keep Your Distance From PBNU, PKB: Don't Make Chaos

PKB Deputy Chair Jazilul Fawaid/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Jazilul Fawaid emphasized that his party wants to keep its distance from the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board in the midst of heated disharmony conflicts recently.

According to Jazilul, PKB and PBNU are two different entities. PKB, even though it was born from the womb of NU, is a political party. Meanwhile, PBNU is an Islamic community organization (ormas).

The legal umbrella that underlies the establishment of PKB and PBNU, Jazilul emphasized, is also different. PKB was established based on Law (UU) Number 2 of 2011 concerning Political Parties. Meanwhile, PBNU was established based on Law Number 17 of 2013 concerning Community Organizations.

"Let's keep our distance in accordance with the constitution. So, PBNU and PKB have nothing to do with it. 2 different entities. One is regulated by the law of mass organizations, one is regulated by political parties. Keep your distance according to your respective paths. Don't make chaos," said Jazilul at the PKB DPP office, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, August 6.

Jazilul assessed that this feud was drawn from the statement of the Secretary General of PBNU Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) who wanted to return PKB as desired by PBNU. From this statement, Jazilul views that PBNU intends to mess around in the political realm.

"What is clear is that Gus Ipul said that he formed a team to take over the PKB. It made chaos, it was against the rules of mass organizations, rules of political parties," he said.

For information, PBNU formed a special committee (pansus) or panel team that was investigating the problem of disharmony between PBNU and PKB. So far, PBNU has invited two figures, starting with the former Secretary General of PKB Lukman Edy to provide information on Wednesday, July 31.

At that time, Lukman Edy explained that one of the triggers for this problem could occur because PKB Chairman 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.

On Monday, August 5 yesterday, PKB also invited PKB Secretary General Hasanuddin Wahid to further deepen. However, Hasanuddin did not attend the PBNU special committee invitation.

Originally, Hasanuddin was asked to come to the PBNU Office at 12.30 WIB. However, he never came. Rais Syuriah PBNU who is also a member of the Cholil Nafis panel team regretted Hasanuddin's absence.

"It should have been present at 12.30 according to our invitation, but we waited until 2.30 earlier, I also came down from above and there was no confirmation of his arrival. Even though he really needed to attend," said Cholil at the PBNU Office, Central Jakarta, Monday, August 5.