Cak Imin Urges PBNU to Be Free from Politicians, Citing Organisational Decline

Muhaimin Iskandar, also known as Cak Imin, has expressed his desire for the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) to be free from political involvement. The chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) explained that NU cadres who remain active in politics should channel their political activities through political parties, not through the PBNU organisation. “I am not saying this because I am a politician. I am saying this as a cadre who wants to take responsibility,” Cak Imin stated at the DPR RI building on Monday, 22 June 2026. “To take responsibility for improving it, so one of the formulas is that PBNU is clean of politicians. NU politicians, please join a party,” he continued. Cak Imin assessed that the current PBNU leadership is the most regressive compared to previous periods. “This period’s PBNU is the most backward compared to others. That is a concern for all parties, but only Muhaimin dares to speak out,” he said. He emphasised that his criticism stems from his love as an NU cadre, and he does not want the organisation’s management to decline. He also called for comprehensive management changes within the organisation. “Why do I dare to speak? As an NU cadre, I do not want to see a decline in the management of the PBNU. This is my sense of love as a cadre, so that there is comprehensive management change,” he said. Previously, PBNU had been finalising preparations for the national conference of religious scholars and a grand conference scheduled to be held at the Al Falah Islamic Boarding School in Ploso Village, Mojo District, Kediri Regency, East Java, on 20-21 June 2026. PBNU Secretary General Saifullah Yusuf stated that intensive communication was being carried out between PBNU and the Al Falah Kediri Islamic Boarding School as the host location.