Meet NU Leader Kiai Syukron Makmun, Cak Imin Asked Islah With PBNU

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Leader Kiai Syukron Makmun (DOK Diah Ayu/VOI)

Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) visited the residence of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figure Kiai Syukron Makmun at the Daarul Rahman Islamic Boarding School complex, South Jakarta. Cak Imin admitted that he came to meet Kiai Syukron in order to give an invitation to the 6th PKB Congress which will be held on August 24-25 in Bali. Not only that, Cak Imin also asked Kiai Syukron for advice over the polemic between the PKB and the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board. "We asked him for direction and instructions to face the PKB congress on August 24 in Bali. I also reported the PKB-NU. I affirmed and he agreed that NU and PKB have no organizational relations. The relationship is only cultural, aspiration and historical," said Cak Imin at the location, Thursday, August 15. Continuing, Kiai Syukron also questioned why PKB and PBNU could clash. The caretaker of Daarul Rahman Islamic Boarding School also asked PKB to improve relations or islah with PBNU in order to prevent NU residents from dividing into two camps. "I am very concerned. It should not have happened. So I told Gus Muhaimin earlier, please find a path islah so that it doesn't continue like this, so islah," explained Kiai Syukron. Kiai Syukron also asked Cak Imin to have a dialogue with PBNU to question what PKB fraud is meant by PBNU at this time. Cak Imin was also asked to accept suggestions for improving party organizations from PBNU. "Show which is the misappropriation of PKB, and PKB is ready to return to the straight path. That is the first islah. The second islah, PKB is ready to receive instructions from PBNU, that's the name, without interfering in each household. This is my advice to PKB," explained Kiai Syukron. On the one hand, Kiai Syukron also asked PBNU not to interfere in PKB political affairs. "NU must return to NU. Take care of the interests of these people back to the khittah of 1926. There is no need to take care of politics anymore, politics is left to PKB and PKB must obey PBNU. So, the path is together," he added. Some time ago, dozens of structural kiai and caretakers of Islamic boarding schools gathered at the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School, East Java, on Monday, August 12. They asked PBNU to immediately take strategic steps in an effort to improve PKB in the future. During the meeting, Rais Aam PBNU KH Miftachul Akhyar gave the full mandate called "Mandat Tebuireng" to the General Chairperson of PBNU Yahya Cholil Staquf to improve PKB.

"I received a direct order from Rais Aam to follow up on reports from the kiai," said Gus Yahya. Gus Yahya admitted that he would soon formulate a number of steps to improve the PKB ahead of the party holding a congress in Bali on August 24-25, 2024.