PBNU Reveals Reason for Moving Munas Closing to Bangkalan if Prabowo Attends

The Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) has revealed the reason why the closing of the Alim Ulama National Conference (Munas) and Nahdlatul Ulama Grand Conference (Konbes) is planned to be held in Bangkalan, Madura, if President Prabowo Subianto attends the event. Katib Aam Syuriyah PBNU and Chairman of the Munas and Konbes NU Steering Committee, Mohammad Nuh, stated that Bangkalan was chosen as the location for the closing ceremony on Tuesday (23/6) because the place holds symbolic value. He noted that Bangkalan is the birthplace of Syaichona Kholil, a great scholar who was one of the influential figures in NU’s history. “So it is symbolic. Syaichona Kholil and the one in East Java with the boarding school are one unified entity,” Mohammad Nuh said when contacted by CNNIndonesia.com on Wednesday (19/6).

M Nuh explained that PBNU originally planned the opening of the Munas Konbes NU to be held in Bangkalan on Saturday (20/6). However, President Prabowo was unable to attend the opening due to other commitments. PBNU then invited the president to the closing session scheduled for Tuesday (23/6). “We actually designed the opening to be in Bangkalan and invited the president. But because the president could not make it tomorrow due to other duties, he can only attend the closing,” he said. Based on this, PBNU shifted the Bangkalan event from the opening to the closing ceremony. Meanwhile, the opening will still take place at the Al Falah Ploso Islamic Boarding School in Kediri, East Java. “So we just shifted it. What was originally the opening in Bangkalan is now the closing in Bangkalan. It’s that simple,” he asserted.

M Nuh also denied that the change was triggered by a direct request from Prabowo’s side or a myth suggesting a president would be ousted if visiting Kediri. “No, there is no such myth, that’s just a local myth. There is none, it’s purely a scheduling matter,” he said. PBNU Secretary General and Chairman of the Munas-Konbes and Muktamar NU Committee, Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul, stated that the invitation to President Prabowo is still under coordination and awaiting confirmation. “This is still in coordination, in confirmation. Hopefully, the timing will work out. But PBNU, through a meeting, has decided to invite the President on the 23rd to Bangkalan,” Gus Ipul said on Friday (19/6). The series of NU Munas and Konbes 2026 events is scheduled to open on Saturday, 20 June 2026, at the Al Falah Ploso Islamic Boarding School, Kediri. However, the closing is planned to take place three days later at the Syaichona Moh. Cholil Islamic Boarding School’s STAI in Bangkalan on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, if Prabowo can attend. “Meanwhile, the closing is planned, God willing, in Bangkalan. PBNU has officially invited President Prabowo to deliver a mandate at the closing later,” Gus Ipul said. The Minister of Social Affairs added that if Prabowo is unable to attend, the closing will still be held but will return to the original location at the Ploso Islamic Boarding School in Kediri. “If the timing allows him to attend, the closing will be placed in Bangkalan. But if not, the closing will be held in Ploso. This is all still adjusting to the President’s schedule,” Gus Ipul stated.