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View all search resultsNU clerics warn against political interference in upcoming leadership race
Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is slated to hold a leadership contest to pick its next chair in its upcoming national congress (Muktamar) in Jombang, East Java in late August.
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Groups of santri (Islamic boarding school students) hold aloft the flag of Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) as they wait along a road for the presidential motorcade to arrive on June 23, 2026, ahead of the closing ceremony of the NU National Conference of Islamic Scholars and Grand Conference at the Syachona Mohammad Cholil Islamic Institute in Bangkalan, East Java. (Antara/Moch. Asim)
S
enior clerics of the country’s largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have called for a fair and independent leadership contest, warning that political manipulation and backroom deals to sway the poll result could undermine the organization’s credibility.
The warning came ahead of NU’s 35th national congress (Muktamar) slated for Aug. 27 to 31 at Tambakberas pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Jombang, East Java. During the gathering, hundreds of voting delegates from regional branches nationwide will elect the organization’s chair for the next five-year term.
Dozens of senior and influential clerics gathered both in person and virtually on Aug. 20 for a meeting at the NU central board (PBNU) headquarters in Central Jakarta, where they discussed developments and concerns surrounding the upcoming congress.
In a joint statement after the meeting, the senior clerics stressed that any attempt to arrange, condition or manipulate the leadership contest, whether directly or not, could undermine NU’s credibility and standing among its members and the general public.
“The Muktamar must not be tainted by improper conduct, vested interest deals, pressure, manipulation or other practices that could undermine the dignity of the clerics and the organization’s honor,” said Muhibbul Aman Aly, a senior cleric at NU’s top religious advisory council (Syuriyah).
The clerics specifically raised concerns over alleged attempts to influence the selection process of the next Ahlul Halli wal-Aqdi (AHWA), a nine-member council of senior NU clerics tasked with choosing the groups’ supreme leader (Rais Aam) that could potentially play a key role in the upcoming leadership race.
The concerns come as NU considers a proposal to amend its bylaws at the upcoming congress, which would replace the current one person one vote system among congress delegates with a deliberation process involving senior clerics, including AHWA members.
