Visit The Palace, Chairman Of PBNU Asked By Jokowi About Conflict With PKB

Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board KH Yahya Cholil Staquf when delivering information after meeting President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Wednesday (14/8/2024). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board KH Yahya Cholil Staquf expressed his appreciation for the cooperation that has been established with the government during the two terms of President Joko Widodo's leadership.

In his statement after meeting President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Jakarta Presidential Palace complex, Yahya stated that although President Jokowi would soon end his term of office, NU hoped that the cooperation relationship with Jokowi would personally continue.

"The cooperation with NU has been going very well. In fact, a lot of assistance has been provided by the government under President Jokowi's leadership. We hope this cooperation will continue," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 14.

Yahya also discussed NU's plan to develop the Abadi Islamic Boarding School Fund, which aims to provide financial support similar to School Operational Assistance (BOS) in the pesantren education scheme.

"We at NU are developing designs to imitate BOS, but for pesantren. So we are finishing the design, we hope that later it can be connected and opportunities for cooperation are sought," he said.

Answering questions about concrete assistance from President Jokowi, Yahya highlighted the latest support such as assistance for the development of the NU University of Yogyakarta and assistance from President Muhammad bin Zayed from the United Arab Emirates.

"It was all Pak Jokowi's personal assistance," he said.

Yahya Staquf came to the Jakarta Palace accompanied by Rais Aam PBNUKH Miftachul Akhyar and PBNUKHANwar Iskandar's Deputy Rais Aam.

The arrival of the three NU kiai to the Palace took place in the midst of the PKB conflict with PBNU. The two parties argued and reported each other in the realm of law.

Regarding the discussion about the relationship between NU and PKB, Yahya explained that President Jokowi had asked about the issue during the brief meeting.

"We explained the situation, and he understood well," he said.

He emphasized that the meeting was not aimed at discussing the position between conflict and PKB, but rather to provide clarification and discuss future cooperation.

Regarding the solution to the problems mentioned, Yahya emphasized that this was an internal NU matter.