Pesantren Tebuireng's statement on controversial dictionary of Indonesian history

Jakarta, NU Online
The family of the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren), Jombang, East Java issued a statement regarding the circulation of the Dictionary of Indonesian History Volume I (Nation Formation) and Volume II (Nation Building) published by the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud).

 

The Ministry of Education and Culture is considered to be conducting a structured and systematic historical framing for eliminating the role of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and the main figures of NU, especially Hadratus Syeikh KH Muhammad Hasyim Asy'ari. Therefore, the manuscript is not suitable as a reference for Indonesian education practitioners and students.

 

Pesantren Tebuireng also took a closer look at the contents of the two volumes of the dictionary and were found to be inconsistent with historical realities. Because the contents tend to favor certain organizations and discredit others. Even, there are also many substantial and editorial flaws in the content.

 

"There are many substantial and editorial weaknesses that must be corrected in the content of the Dictionary of Indonesian History. This shows that the manuscript is not suitable as a reference for Indonesian education practitioners and students," the the Pesantren Tebuireng's statement said.

 

As reported by the Tebuireng Online on Wednesday (21/4), in terms of the history of a nation it is very important to build civilization in the future. Because no nation has become great without understanding and studying the history of its ancestors. Therefore, Pesantren Tebuireng emphasizes that honest history writings are the responsibility of all elements of the nation.

 

"Pesantren Tebuireng Jombang demands the Ministry of Education and Culture to retract the manuscript and apologize to all Indonesians for carelessness and negligence in writing the historical dictionary. Hopefully it will be a correction and reflection for all of us," the statement said.

 

Previously it was revealed, the Dictionary of Indonesian History Volume I Nation Formation (1900-1950) and the Volume II Nation Building (1951-1998) which reaped the polemics were sold freely in a number of marketplaces. One package of book is priced amounted to IDR 100,000.

 

NU Online conducted a search for the sale of the book in various markets on Wednesday (21/4). At least, four online shops were found at Bukalapak that sold the book in one package. Each offers the same price, IDR 100,000.

 

The Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Hilmar Farid, denied the publication of the book in a written press release on Monday (19/4). He claimed that the book was never officially published.

 

In the end, however, Hilmar Farid admitted that he had made a mistake by removing the founder of NU KH Hasyim Asy'ari from the Dictionary of Indonesian History initiated by the Ministry of Education and Culture and trying to withdraw it from circulation, including in libraries.

 

Contributor: Aru Lego Triono
Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq