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Jokowi meets NU leaders, discusses feud with PKB
During the meeting, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo asked Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executives for the latest updates on the Islamic group's feud with the National Awakening Party (PKB), but did not give any advice or express his position in the conflict, as claimed by NU chair Yahya Cholil Staquf.
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Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf talks to reporters on July 28, 2024, during a press briefing on the results of the organization's central board plenary meeting, in Jakarta. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
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resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo summoned executives of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country’s largest Islamic organization, and talked with them about the group’s ongoing feud with the National Awakening Party (PKB).
NU central executive board (PBNU) chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf, along with Rais Aam (supreme leader) Miftachul Akhyar and his deputy Anwar Iskandar, came to the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon. They arrived at around 4:30 p.m., when the President was leading a medal awarding ceremony at the State Palace.
After the meeting with Jokowi, Yahya told reporters that they had a discussion about NU’s conflict with the PKB; a political party many see as NU’s de facto political vehicle.
“[Jokowi] asked what’s going on, and we explained everything to him. He understood and received [our explanation] well,” Yahya said, as quoted by kompas.com.
The NU chair claimed that the President did not give the group any instruction or claim to be on either side in the conflict, saying only that the feud should be resolved internally.
Read also: NU, PKB conflict reaches new heights after police reports against Lukman Edy
Tensions between NU and the PKB have escalated in recent weeks after party chair Muhaimin Iskandar, as a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, initiated a legislative inquiry into the government’s organization of this year’s haj.
