PKNU will consider merging with other NU-based party

Jakarta, NU Online
Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU) KH Ma'ruf Amin said that his party had not yet been able to take measures in regard with his party's fate if it failed to reach the 2.5 percent parliamentary threshold.

Ma'ruf said his party would hold meetings to discuss issues facing his party including the statement of general chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Hasyim Muzadi calling on PKNU to merge with the National Awakening Party (PKB)<>.

"We will discuss it, if the party did not pass (the parliamentary threshold), Ma'ruf told NU Online here Wednesday (22/4), adding he would find the reason whether people really abstained from voting or the election system which was not conducive.

He explained, from various reports available to him, many potential supporters of PKNU did not receive their voter list and in regard with the entry of votes coming to the General Elections Commission, there would even be possible mistakes in vote count.

There have allegedly been elections system which is not conducive," the chairman of the Fatwa Commission at the Indonesia Ulema Council said.

Ma'ruf was of view the option for his party to merge with PKB was not impossible if the two NU-based parties are capable of uniting any emerging dissenting opinion.

"In its history, PKNU was established as a political movement of clerics (kiai) that have no longer been represented in PKB," Ma'ruf said, adding that most importantly, PKNU was established to uphold political movements based on the teachings of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah. (mkf)