Tangerang, NU Online
An economic and community development agency under the auspisious of NU and Lion Group, the owner of Lion Air, NU-Lion was officially launched in Tangerang, on Sunday (16 / 02). <>

The agency is committed to backing up economic activities of small and medium-class Nahdliyin (NU followers) in addition to being repared to continue the economic ideals of the late KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur).

The populist economic empowerment partnership program of NU Lion was  formalized through a memorandum of understanding between the NU General Chairman KH Said Aqil Siroj (Kang Said) and the Lion Group Managing Director Rusdi Kirana at Pesantren Nur Antika, Tigaraksa, Tangerang, Banten (16 / 02).

The MoU signing was witnessed by the NU law-making body (Mustasyar) KH Ma'ruf Amin, KH Abd Ghofur, and the Minister of Disadvantaged Regions Helmy Faisal Zaini.

Rusdi Kirana said the NU-Lion program was a form of his gratitude to NU for having played an important role in maintaining the diversity of Indonesia, adding the program was not such a political service ahead of the 2014 elections. 

"NU-Lion really I dedicate to NU and Indonesia," he explained.

Meanwhile Kang Said did appreciate the NU-Lion program, saying the decision to build economic cooperation with NU was right and with the sincere intention to empower Nahdliyin.

"It is good that Mr. Rusdi (Kirana) has joined the Pople Awakening Party (PKB) Rusdi for having ideals to empower the Nahdliyin," he said.

Kang Said also asserted, NU had a large enough capital and real history in helping build the foundation of the establishment of the Homeland. Therefore, NU could not be put aside and should not be a spectator. 

"NU as the legitimate owner should be the owner of this country."

On the occasion the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) said that "Today, God willing, we can meet the challenges of our nation by doing something more real. From (Pesantren) Nur Antika the revival of NU begins, with NU-Lion we are ready to continue the economic ideals of Gus Dur," Muhaimin Iskandar said.

Cak Imin added when Gus Dur became General Chairman of NU, the ideals to empower the Nahdliyin economy were already realized. In the time, Gus Dur initiated a fruitful partnership with Bank Summa. Since then, there have been NUSumma banks but have not been well-organized.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq