Slamet Effendy Yusuf: NU should not be involved in a certain politcal party

Jakarta, NU Online
Former General Chairman of the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) who is also a top politician of Golkar party Slamet Effendi Yusuf said the Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) should not involve in a certain political party.

"The (political) party is a 'warehouse' of conflicts and the conflicts most of the time tend to have worse consequences than a mere difference," Slamet addressed a monthly meeting taking up issues on implementation of khittah (principle) of Nahdliyyah post-reform political practices in the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU)'s headquarters in Jakarta on Friday (28/3) evening.<>

Present at the occasion were Vice Chairman of the PBNU law making body Prof Dr KH Thalchah Hasan, KH Masdar Farid Mas'udi (chairman), Prof Dr Masykuri Abdillah (chairman), Dr Endang Turmudzi (Secretary general), institutions and many other autonomous bodies of the PBNU.

Slamet said, the organization of NU should be such a house for all Nahdliyin (NU followers) involving themselves in politics. In turn, the senior lawmaker added, the NU cadres could freely take part in developing nation and state through any political channels.

The Slamet's statements may be such 'actual phenomenon' following the dismissal of Muhaimin Iskandar's post from the National Awakening Party (PKB). The PKB is the only one both born and supported by the NU.

Slamet expected the party's internal conflict to immediately be settled.

As reported, a plenary meeting of the PKB`s executive board on Wednesday night decided through a voting mechanism to dismiss Mumaimin Iskandar as the party chairman. In the vote, 20 of the 30 PKB executive board members present asked Muhaimin to resign from his post.

The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the party`s Syura Council (lawmaking body), Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) and Muhaimin Iskandar himself. (nam)