President Prabowo Hails Nahdlatul Ulama’s Role in Indonesian Politics and National Stability
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has praised the influential role of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in the country’s political and social landscape, highlighting the organization’s broad representation in government and political parties across Indonesia.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National Conference of Islamic Scholars and the NU Grand Conference 2026 in Bangkalan District, East Java, President Prabowo said members of NU are well represented in his Red and White Cabinet, describing the organization as a powerful and pervasive force in national life.
“The Red and White Cabinet consists of many NU members. It is a great, omnipresent organization. Being represented in all parties, NU can never lose,” the president remarked, according to a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat.
Prabowo described NU as an ideal institution for learning politics, citing its extensive organizational network that reaches communities at the grassroots level throughout the archipelago.
The Indonesian leader also underscored NU’s longstanding association with nationalism and patriotism, noting that the organization has played a significant role in the nation’s development since before independence.
Reflecting on his personal connection with the organization, Prabowo recalled growing up in the same neighborhood as the family of Indonesia’s fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid, widely known as Gus Dur and one of NU’s most prominent figures. He also noted that his grandmother had been a member of the organization.
The president further commended NU for its consistent contribution to maintaining national unity and stability, particularly during challenging periods in Indonesia’s history.
“The big family of NU has always been present whenever the Indonesian nation faces hardship. The big family of NU serves as a stabilizing factor that helps ensure the safety of the nation and the state,” he said.
The event was held at the Syaichona Mohammad Cholil Islamic Institute on Madura Island and was attended by several senior government officials, including Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar, and Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi.
The remarks underscored the continued influence of Nahdlatul Ulama as one of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations and a key contributor to the country’s social cohesion and democratic development.
