NU Members Rally, Grapple with Ancient Precedents Amid Leadership Discussions
Jakarta, Indonesia – November 6, 2025, 15:10:33 WIB – Internal deliberations โคwithinโค Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest independent Muslim association, have sparked a surge of member engagementโข as discussions surrounding leadership transitions and constitutional procedures intensify. A recent exchange revealed tensions between differing viewpoints regarding the โappropriate mechanisms for addressing leadershipโข requests, highlighting a potential disconnectโ between current actions โขand the organization’s historical framework.
The debateโ centers on a request-initially unconnected to Abuโข Hasan-that was brought forward and afterward reframed by Konbes KPPNU,a rival NU management โขgroup proposed by Abu Hasan,as a call for an Unusual โCongress (MLB). This shift occurredโข after Abdurrahman Wahid, widely known as Gusโ Dur, indicated his willingness to step โขdown constitutionally through the established MLB process. The situation underscoresโฃ a broader โคchallenge within NU: balancing immediate โฃpolitical considerations with adherence to established organizational bylawsโ and historical precedent.
According to sources, during a discussion, an individual stated he was “currently between NUโข and the government,” before being interrupted by B.J. Habibie. This interruption signals the sensitivity โsurroundingโฃ external influences on โคinternal NU affairs.โข The move to invoke the MLB mechanism, rather โthan pursuing other avenues, suggests a strategic attemptโฃ to navigate a โฃperhaps complex resignation while maintainingโ constitutional legitimacy. The outcome of these deliberations will significantly impact NU’s future directionโข and its role in Indonesian society, potentially setting a precedentโ for future leadership transitions.