PKB Urges NU Members to Elect Chairman Who Can Unite, Not Stoke Conflict

Jakarta – National Awakening Party (PKB) Secretary-General Hasanuddin Wahid, known as Cak Udin, has urged Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) members to elect a new PBNU Chairman who can provide shelter. According to him, the ideal figure for PBNU Chairman is someone who can protect NU members, not someone who likes to stir up conflict. “Look for someone who is more calming, look for someone who can provide shelter, look for someone who doesn’t like to stir up conflict, look for someone who can protect the people and Nahdliyin,” Cak Udin told reporters on Thursday, 16 July 2026. He stated that the NU leadership needs a refresh. He said that the dignity and honour of NU will increasingly decline in the future if there is no refreshment of the management structure. “I think NU needs to be refreshed. Why? Because without this refreshment, NU’s role, function, dignity, and honour in religious, social, and national life will increasingly decline,” he said. He then mentioned that the current NU leadership period has been marked more by conflicts among its elites than by success in protecting the community. “Because in the last five years, we have been treated to open conflicts among the elites. So, there are more stories of conflict, stories of fighting, than stories of success in protecting the community, empowering the community, and so on,” he said. Therefore, he agreed with the opinion of PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, or Cak Imin, who said the PBNU management structure needs a refresh. “Because of that, we agree as Gus Muhaimin said, a refresh is needed. So, who is it? It’s anyone but the current one. Please choose whoever you want, the important thing is it’s not the current one,” Cak Udin stated.