PKB-Affiliated Islamic Scholars Submit Recommendations to Prabowo

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Some Indonesian Islamic scholars (ulama) affiliated with the centrist, Islam-based National Awakening Party (PKB) read the "Agreement of the Indonesian Ulama Assembly (Ijtima)" as a way of strengthening moral and national direction in guiding the nation's progress. It was read at the PKB's 28th anniversary event in Jakarta on Thursday, 23 July 2026.

The PKB has strong cultural ties with one of the world's largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), though structurally independent. Founded shortly after the fall of former president Soeharto's New Order rule in 1998, it has secured 68 out of 580 seats (11.7%) at the House of Representatives (DPR), and is a part of Prabowo's government coalition.

Representing the Islamic scholars, Muhidin Almanafi read the agreement before the nation's president Prabowo Subianto, cabinet ministers, clerics, religious figures, and thousands of PKB cadres. The document, containing strategic recommendations, was then submitted directly to Prabowo as a demonstration of the ulama's support for the direction of national development, said the country's Presidential Secretariat.

"We, the ulama, leaders of Islamic boarding schools, and religious figures who are members of the Indonesian Ulama Council, after observing the national dynamics, changes in the world order, and the direction of national development under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, based on the values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah ("People of the Sunnah and the community", a core principle of Sunni Islam), Pancasila (Indonesia's basic values), the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and the ideals of the nation's founders, submit the following recommendations," Muhidin said while reading the document.

The recommendations contain three main points. They recommend, among other things, strengthening the state to realize a sovereign, advanced, and prosperous Indonesia through support for the government's strategic initiatives.

They also recommend ensuring a strong state continues to operate within the framework of the constitution, justice, and good governance. Lastly, they urge affirming the commitment of Islamic scholars to continuously improve and develop the NU, strengthening the people, nation, and state.

"The Ulama Assembly supports President Prabowo Subianto's strategic steps in strengthening national sovereignty, building economic independence, accelerating industrialization and downstreaming, realizing food and energy security, improving the quality of human resources, and returning the direction of national development to the mandate of Pancasila and Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution for the greatest prosperity of the people," he said.

Article 33, one of the most well-known articles of the basic law, affirms that the national economy shall be organized as a collective endeavor based on the principle of cooperation and economic democracy. It states that the state shall control key sectors of production and manage "Indonesia's land, waters, and all the natural resources beneath" to "achieve the greatest possible prosperity of the people".

In its recommendations, the assembly also affirmed its commitment to continuously overseeing the government's operations through constructive moral and religious roles. Furthermore, the clerics believe that strengthening religious organizations will have a positive impact on national and state life.

"We believe that the robust and unified Nahdlatul Ulama is, the greater its contribution to the community, the stronger the unity of the nation, and the more effective the state will be in realizing the welfare of the people," Muhidin said.

Following the reading, Muhidin personally handed over the agreement to Prabowo. Indonesia's Presidential Secretariat stated the submission emphasized that synergy between the ulama and the government is crucial in maintaining national unity and providing moral oversight to national development, ensuring it remains aligned with the people's interests and the constitutional ideals.

"I am very grateful. I am truly touched. The recommendations from the assembly were extraordinary. I understand that our struggle has been recognized and acknowledged, and I believe the political parties understand that," Prabowo said.