PBNU’s maneuver amid PKB’s success

Image source: Detiknews

The National Awakening Party (PKB) is questioning the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board’s (PBNU) move to form a special committee aimed at correcting history and returning PKB to its rightful owner. This maneuver comes on the heels of PKB’s success in increasing its votes and parliamentary seats in the 2024 elections.

Amid the ongoing feud between PBNU and PKB, PBNU regards this controversy as a serious issue. Consequently, PBNU has dispatched two senior figures, PBNU Deputy Rais Aam Anwar Iskandar, an early pioneer of PKB, and PBNU Deputy Chairman Amin Said Husni, the first Deputy Secretary-General of PKB’s Central Executive Board, to investigate the conflict between NU and PKB. The findings of these two leaders will serve as the basis for PBNU’s next steps.

Furthermore, PBNU is reportedly planning to establish a Team of Five or a special committee as an effort to correct history and return PKB to its rightful owner, PBNU. This move is believed to be in response to the PKB elite’s numerous statements that deviate from the founding principles of PKB. The formation of this special committee will resemble the team that originally gave birth to PKB in the past. This committee is expected to work effectively once it receives approval from Rais Aam KH Miftachul Ahyar and PBNU Chairman KH Yahya Cholil Staquf. Historically, the establishment of PKB was one of the outcomes of a Team of Five formed by PBNU in 1998.

What is particularly intriguing is that PBNU’s maneuvering comes amidst PKB’s success in the 2024 elections. Previously, PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf, also known as Gus Yahya, asserted that PKB does not represent the Nahdliyin community. However, PBNU’s attempt to reclaim PKB raises significant questions about the real agenda behind this move.

The relationship between PBNU and PKB has grown strained ahead of the 2024 elections. This began with allegations that PKB was trying to drag NU members into practical politics, escalating into mutual attacks during the 2024 Presidential Election between the Religious Affairs Minister and GP Ansor Chairman, a PBNU autonomous organization, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, and PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar. The tension was further exacerbated by PKB being among the factions in the House of Representatives that initiated an inquiry into the 2024 Hajj administration, led by Muhaimin.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, who is also a former Rais Aam of PBNU and a former PKB Syuro Council Chairman, stated that the relationship between NU and PKB is merely aspirational, cultural, and historical, with no structural ties that require PBNU to intervene in PKB. PKB officials also consistently maintain that the relationship between PKB and PBNU is amicable. For now, PKB prefers to focus on winning the 2024 regional elections and preparing for the inauguration of its legislative members.