Muhaimin Reelected as PKB Chair

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

President Joko Widodo and PKB chairman Muhaimin Iskandar escort PKB Board of Advisors chairman Dimyati Rois after the opening of PKB Congress 2019 at Hotel Westin, Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday (20/8/2019). PKB chose Bali as the location of its 5th Congress, which was attended by around 3,000 participants, because the province symbolizes the guardian of Indonesia’s diversity.

NUSA DUA, KOMPAS — Politician Muhaimin Iskandar has secured reelection as chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) for the 2019-2024 period. Through acclamation on Tuesday (20/8/2019) evening, all party branches approved Muhaimin’s accountability report and requested that he be named as chairman.

The request and Muhaimin’s reelection as PKB chair took place in a plenary meeting on the response of party branches to the PKB central board’s accountability report. This Wednesday, there will be commission meetings and a closing by vice president-elect Ma’ruf Amin.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

President Joko Widodo delivers his speech during the opening of PKB Congress 2019 at Hotel Westin, Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday (20/8/2019). PKB chose Bali as the location of its 5th Congress, which was attended by around 3,000 participants.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the opening of the PKB’s fifth national congress, Muhaimin said the party would be ready to fill positions in the Joko “Jokowi” Widodo-Ma’ruf Amin Cabinet. He reaffirmed that the party did not seek certain ministerial positions. Rumors that the party was seeking certain posts in the Cabinet first cropped up when the party said it would focus on three strategic sectors, namely education, the people’s economy and religious teachings.

Kompas

Participants at PKB Congress 2019 sing the PKB hymn during the opening of PKB Congress 2019 at Hotel Westin, Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday (20/8/2019).

Muhaimin said the party would synchronize its upcoming five-year plan with its lawmakers at the House of Representatives and ministers. The party will also prepare its best members for the Cabinet, if President Jokowi asked them to do so.

“[The party] will carry out its important roles in these three sectors to boost people’s welfare,” Muhaimin said.

He denied that the party was seeking ministerial posts related to the three strategic sectors, such as Education and Culture Minister, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister and Religious Affairs Minister.

“The three strategic sectors were not linked to specific ministerial portfolios but encompassed all sectors instead. Everything is in our strategic agenda,” Muhaimin said.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

NU chairman Said Aqil Siroj speaks during a national ulema meeting as part of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Congress in Nusa Dua, Bali, Tuesday (20/8/2019). During the meeting, ulemas discussed the revitalization of Wali Songo preaching for the current era.

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PKB deputy secretary-general Jazilul Fawaid shared a similar statement, saying that the three strategic sectors reflected today’s factual challenges, especially those faced by the party’s constituents in rural areas. He also reaffirmed that the strategic sectors were not linked to certain ministerial posts the PKB was seeking.

“This is more about fulfilling our constituents’ needs. In terms of education, PKB constituents are still lacking. Strengthening unity and fighting radicalism are also huge challenges,” he said.

The PKB national congress was opened by Jokowi. Senior politicians attended the event, including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri along with her son Prananda Prabowo, Golkar Party chair Airlangga Hartarto and Nasdem Party chair Surya Paloh.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Ulemas attend a national ulema meeting as part of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Congress in Nusa Dua, Bali, Tuesday (20/8/2019). During the meeting, ulemas discussed the revitalization of Wali Songo preaching for the current era.

Before the national congress began, party clerics gathered in a National Assembly of Clerics and declared the Bali Charter, which recommended the PKB to increase its relevancy in today’s society. The party’s advisory council member, Maman Imanulhaq, said the party wished to find a proper strategy to increase its public impact and so that it would not only be relevant once every five years. (AGE/FAI/LAS)