Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Thursday called for Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and the National Awakening Party (PKB) to end their feud and maintain mutual respect.

Ma'ruf, a cleric from NU, played a significant role in the founding of PKB in 1998 alongside several NU leaders, including the late President Abdurrahman Wahid.

NU has accused PKB's leadership under Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar of attempting to rewrite history and abandon the party's NU roots. Additionally, Muhaimin has faced criticism for his prolonged tenure in power.

In contrast, PKB leaders have accused NU of interfering in the party's internal affairs.

In a video message, Ma'ruf said that while NU and PKB have historical and cultural connections, they lack formal structural ties.

"The relationship between the NU leadership board and PKB is cultural and historical in nature, but they don't have structural ties to each other," Ma'ruf said. "The NU leadership board and PKB must maintain cooperation based on each other's roles – NU focuses on [Muslim] empowerment, PKB focuses on politics. Conflicts will arise if they intervene in each other's domains."

Earlier, NU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf accused Muhaimin of personal vendettas against him and his younger brother, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, whose office organizes the Hajj pilgrimage. This accusation followed Muhaimin's initiation of a House inquiry committee into the government's handling of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/vice-president-urges-nu-pkb-to-cool-of