Firm! PBNU Chairman Asks Presidential And Vice Presidential Candidates Not To Bring NU In The 2024 Presidential Election

Chairman of PBNU KH Yahya Cholil Staquf at the PBNU Office, Jakarta, Saturday (2/9/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Infocom Institute and PBNU Publication)

JAKARTA - As is known, the Presidential Election (Pilpres) and the Legislative Election (Pileg) will take place on February 14, 2024. However, the political temperature in Indonesia has started to feel warm.

Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board KH Yahya Cholil Staquf asked the presidential and vice presidential candidates not to take the name Nahdlatul Ulama in the 2024 Presidential Election.

"There should be no candidates acting on behalf of NU. If there are candidates acting on behalf of (NU), the credibility is in the name of their own behavior, not on behalf of NU," said Gus Yahya, his nickname in a written statement in Jakarta, Saturday.

He explained that structurally, NU and NU kiai would also not provide support to certain candidates.

"If there is a claim, the NU kiai are approved, that is absolutely not true. So far there has been no discussion regarding the presidential or vice presidential candidates," he said.

Even if there are NU residents who want to run, Gus Yahya invites them to be able to fight through political parties, not through NU.

"People know that NU has a lot of residents. The Alvara survey is 52.9 percent of the Indonesian Muslim population admits NU," explained Gus Yahya.

According to him, NU residents are so smart that they can no longer be withdrawn to fulfill the ambitions of certain candidates.

The NU's mindset pattern used to be considered like kebo (smoking). This is very insulting, even though these NU residents are already smart, they can already judge people. We don't want this NU to be matched with its nose to be brought here," he added, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, September 2.

Gus Yahya also ensured that the decision of the NU Congress, as an institution, would not support support and would not be a competitor in politics.