Ma'ruf Amin: PKB Kiai Political Movement, Not Political Kiai

The 6th PKB Congress (Diah Ayu/VOI)

NUSA Dua - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the National Awakening Party (PKB) was a kiai political movement. This was conveyed by Ma'ruf when opening the 6th PKB Congress in Bali.

The PKB was indeed founded by the ulama. Therefore, PkB is said to be a kiai political movement. Not a political kiai, but kiai politics," said Ma'ruf at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Saturday, August 24.

The former Rais Aam Nahdlatul Ulama explained that the politics of the kiai was defined as a party movement that ran its political wheels on the basis of the advice of kiai and ulama.

What's the difference? If a political kiai, the kiai follow politics, wherever he goes. But if it's kiai politics, politics follows the kiai. So PKB's politics follows the kiai, following the advice of the kiai, following the instructions of the kiai. That's why it's called the kiai political movement," he explained.

However, Ma'ruf emphasized that the political movement carried out by PKB was not based on the interests of the kiai, but on the nation and state.

On the one hand, Ma'ruf also mentioned PKB as a forum for the aspirations of Nahdliyin residents. That is why PKB is also seen as a political vehicle for NU citizens. However, Ma'ruf assessed that current PKB supporters are not only NU residents, but also all groups.

The PKB political movement is a political movement for improvement. Improvement means improvement for all parties, not a political movement of power. So it's different. Generally politics is a struggle for power. But PKB struggles for islah, improvements. Why? Because of God's business, the affairs of Allah SWT," he explained.

The congress is the highest decision-making forum for PKB ahead of the change of management attended by all representatives or envoys from the regional leadership council (DPW) and branch leadership councils (DPC) throughout Indonesia, including the PKB autonomous body.

This year, the congress which was held until Sunday, August 25 was attended by thousands of PKB cadres.

Tonight, thousands of administrators at the regional level will evaluate the leadership of PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar for the past five years. A decision was also made to determine who would lead the PKB for the following period.

In addition, the PKB ranks also held a number of trials related to, for example, programs or outlines of parties in the management for the next five years. PKB itself has announced that it will join the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka government.