Cak Imin: Current PBNU Leadership Is the Most Regressive Ever
Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar has stated that the current Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) is the most regressive compared to its predecessors. “This period’s PBNU is the most backward compared to the others. This is a concern for all parties, but only Muhaimin dares to speak out,” he said when met at the DPR RI complex on Monday, 22 June 2026.
Cak Imin, as Muhaimin is affectionately known, detailed his reasons for making the claim. As a cadre of NU, he said he does not want to see any decline in the management of PBNU. He wants a comprehensive management overhaul so that future periods do not experience similar failures. “I am not speaking as a politician. I am speaking as a cadre who wants to take responsibility, to help make improvements. Therefore, one of the formulas is for PBNU to be clean of politicians. NU politicians should just join political parties,” he stated.
Cak Imin said no new rules are needed to cleanse PBNU of politicians; only firm resolve is required. His statement comes ahead of the NU Congress, which will establish a new PBNU board to replace the leadership of Yahya Cholil Staquf, also known as Gus Yahya. PBNU Secretary-General Saifullah Yusuf said the organisation’s highest forum will also select the Ahlul Halli wal Aqdi (Ahwa), which is tasked with determining the Rais Aam. “Yes, one of the things is that the General Chairman will be elected, and also the Ahwa who will choose the Rais Aam,” he said when met at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday, 7 May 2026.
According to him, the election mechanism during the congress is still open for discussion by the participants, or muktamirin. He said the election model could follow the previous pattern or undergo changes, depending on the decision of the congress participants. PBNU has scheduled the 35th Congress to take place from 1 to 5 August 2026. Gus Ipul said the location is still under discussion. Several regions, such as West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra, and several areas in East Java, have reportedly submitted bids to host the event. Ahead of the congress, PBNU is also preparing a National Conference of Religious Scholars and a Grand Conference of NU in June 2026. The outcomes of these two forums will serve as material for discussion during the upcoming 35th Congress. In addition to preparing the materials, the board has also begun registering participants for the organisation’s highest forum. The congress will replace Gus Yahya, who was officially elected as General Chairman of PBNU for the 2021–2026 term of service. Gus Yahya was appointed to lead PBNU during the 34th NU Congress held at the University of Lampung (Unila) on 24 December 2021.