Ma'ruf Amin Warns NU: Don't Squabble Over Mines!

Former Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has urged Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to exercise caution and avoid falling into the trap of squabbling over mining concessions. He made the remarks during a speech at the ‘Halaqoh Kebangsaan dan Qanun Asasi’ event held at the Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, 8 August 2026. Amin outlined two scholarly approaches to prospering the earth. The first involves preserving what is good and refraining from causing destruction. The second is enhancing what is already good through innovation and downstream processing. He cited agricultural engineering, such as building dams and irrigation systems, as an example of making good things better through technological development. He then warned NU to be careful. ‘Be careful. Do not let us get caught in the mining trap. Don’t squabble over mines; NU already has its own mine,’ he stated. Amin stressed that this approach reflects the concept of muqawwimatul hayah taught by NU, focusing on innovation to increase goodness. He concluded that preparing resources in this manner is part of the greater mission of the ulama.