Gus Kikin Seeks to Speed Up Formation of PBNU’s New Leadership

Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, the newly elected chairman of Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama central board, has opened the door to forming the organization’s new leadership structure ahead of schedule.

The formation team received a maximum of one month to prepare the structure after the election of the chairman at the 35th NU Congress. The team includes representatives from Papua Highlands, Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, Central Java, Sumatra and Tuban, the host area.

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I don’t know, we’ll see. But that is the maximum target of one month. It also needs to be done quickly, so it should be possible to speed it up

Gus Kikin said the one-month period was a limit rather than a fixed timetable. “I don’t know, we’ll see. But that is the maximum target of one month. It also needs to be done quickly, so it should be possible to speed it up,” he said. He described filling the structure as the first task before the organization could carry out its programmes.

He also promised to make use of the broader pool of NU figures, including the four other candidates who were not elected: Zulfa Mustofa, Abdussalam Sochib, Yahya Cholil Staquf and Abdul Ghofar Rozin. “We will try to accommodate them. The potential that exists must indeed be optimized,” Gus Kikin said.

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We will try to accommodate them. The potential that exists must indeed be optimized

For his 2026-2031 term, he said he would follow the Qanun Asasi, which provides guidance on human-resource development, the economy and other organizational values. He described the document as inclusive and open, and said unity and togetherness were central to NU.

KH Miftachul Akhyar and Gus Kikin were elected as Rais Aam and chairman of the PBNU for the 2026-2031 period through a deliberative process at the 35th NU Congress.

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The programmes remain one month, we need to fill the organization first. Without that, how can we work?