Yahya Cholil Staquf: They Said It's an Order from the President

Yahya Cholil Staquf: They Said It’s an Order from the President

Reporter

September 1, 2026 | 11:47 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Running for another term as General Chair of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board (PBNU) for 2027-2032, Yahya Cholil Staquf is competing against several ulema (Islamic scholars). They include Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar and Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, Head of the Pondok Pesantren (Islamic Boarding School) Tebuireng in Jombang, East Java. Nasaruddin later withdrew his candidacy, saying he wanted to focus on leading his ministry.

Yahya said campaign teams for rival candidates had been maneuvering ahead of the 35th PBNU Congress in Jombang. According to Yahya, they claimed that President Prabowo Subianto supported a particular candidate. Yet in his opening speech at the congress, Prabowo said he was not involved in deciding who would lead PBNU. “I don’t believe there is any order from the President,” Yahya told Tempo on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

Tempo journalist Daniel Ahmad Fajri interviewed Yahya Cholil Staquf in the cabin of a black Toyota Alphard as Yahya toured several pesantren in East Java on Saturday, August 22. During the one-hour drive to Pasuruan and Malang, Yahya spoke about complaints from local NU officials over offers to support a PBNU leadership slate supported by Prabowo’s inner circle.

We have received information that several ministers and politicians from the Gerindra Party are trying to push a PBNU leadership slate backed by the Palace. Have you been following these developments?

I’ve received similar reports. They said it was an order from the President. I thought, how dare they say this is the President’s order.