KH Hasyim Asy'ari's Name Disappears From The Historical Dictionary, PBNU Protests And Asks The Perpetrators To Be Prosecuted

ILLUSTRATIONS / WHILE nucirebon.or.id

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Ma'arif PBNU Education Institute (LP), Arifin Junaidi, expressed his protest regarding the loss of the name of the founder of Nahdatul Ulama (NU) Kiai Haji Hasyim Asy'ari from the Indonesian History Dictionary published by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud).

"LP Ma'arif NU PBNU strongly protested against the abolition and asked to include KHM. Hasyim Asy'ari in the Indonesian History Dictionary. LP Ma'arif NU also asked the government to take tough action against the perpetrators of the abolition," said Arifin in a written statement received by VOI. , Tuesday, April 20.

This action, he continued, must be taken in order to avoid the impression that the removal was intentionally carried out by the government. Moreover, this seems to be a systematic attempt by a group of people to obscure the history and roots of the Indonesian nation.

"The effort of a small group of people to carry out the elimination shows that there are a handful of people who want to image that we are a dwarf nation. Because a great nation is a nation that respects its heroes," said Arifin.

He said the reasons presented by the Ministry of Education and Culture were also illogical by saying that this dictionary manuscript was compiled in 2017. This is because this step is considered an attempt to deny the role of Kiai Haji Hasyim Asy'ari and NU in the history of the movement.

"The abolition can also be interpreted as an effort to eliminate NU from the participation and contribution of NU in the life of the nation and state in the future," he said.

"So, it is illogical to argue that the team of writers forgot or had not included the name KH. Hasyim Asy'ari, whose great service to the nation and state was even though the figure who undermined the Republic of Indonesia entered the dictionary," added Arifin.

Previously reported, the Directorate General of Culture, Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) published the Indonesian History Dictionary Volume I.

This dictionary is of concern because it removes the name of the founder of the Nahdatul Ulama (NU) Kiai Haji Hasyim Asy'ari. On the other hand, the names of communist figures such as DN Aidit and Darsono Notosudirjo are in the dictionary.

Responding to this, the Director General (Dirjen) for Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Hilmar Farid, asked the public not to draw hasty conclusions about this matter.

This is because the Indonesian History Dictionary Volume I was never officially published by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The unofficial document is a soft copy or softcopy and is still being refined.

"The Indonesian History Dictionary Book Volume I has never been officially published. Unofficial documents that are deliberately circulated in the public by certain circles are softcopy (softcopy) of manuscripts that still need improvement. We have never printed the manuscript and circulated it to the public," said Hilmar. in a written statement to reporters, Tuesday, April 20.

After all, the Indonesian History Dictionary was compiled in 2017 or before Nadiem Makarim served as Minister of Education and Culture. In addition, this dictionary has not been perfected, so there are no plans for publication.

"So, I want to emphasize once again that it is impossible for the Ministry of Education and Culture to ignore the history of this nation. Moreover, the figures and their successors," he said.