Ma’ruf Amin: PKNU has marked the awakening of ulema

Tuban, NU Online
Chairman of the Advisory Body of the new-declared party called as the Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU) KH Ma’ruf Amin said Saturday that the birth of PKNU had marked the awakening of ulema in struggling for the nation's interests as a whole.

The top official of the Indonesian Ulema Council said that the ulema would examine comprehensively the performance of the party in directing its all activities dealing with the demand of the people.<>

“The ulema would pay more attention (to the party). Hopefully in the next time Indonesia would be better, just, peaceful and bestowed by Allah Almighty,” he said, adding "the birth of PKNU is the sign of the awakening of ulema".

On Saturday, at least 17 senior ulema of Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) officially declared the establishment of the Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU) at the Langitan Islamic Boarding “Pesantren” School Tuban, East Java.

PKNU is led by Choirul Anam as the chairman. It is aimed at maintaining the existence of the Unitary State of the Republic Indonesia.

The birth of PKNU is the result of a long running, intractable, and litigious dispute between two factions of the National Awakening Party (PKB), that led by Muhaimin Iskandar and supported by former president Gus Dur, and that led by Choirul Anam. The latter has form PKNU with the support of mainly Muslim clerics. (dar)