Indonesia
MALANG (Bangsaonline.com) Prof. Dr. HM. Mas’ud Said, Director of Universitas Islam Malang’s Postgraduate Program, stressed that harmony among leaders is the first issue Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) must safeguard today. Solidarity, he said, is a key foundation to keep the organization from falling into division.
“First, there must be harmony. Board members must be united. There must be no division,” Mas’ud Said said on Wednesday (October 7, 2026).
NU, Mas’ud stressed, has a vast and diverse ecosystem. The organization therefore should not view its members only as those within its leadership structure.
He said at least five important groups within NU deserve attention as it develops going forward. First, ulama and pesantren caretakers.
“Ulama and pesantren leaders, whether inside the structure or not, all deserve attention,” he said.
Second, young NU members. He noted that many young people have wide ranging activities and experience, including those not always active in formal structures.
“Young people like this bring experience and networks that can be an important asset for NU as times change,” he said.
Third, cadres of autonomous bodies. He named Muslimat NU, Fatayat NU, GP Ansor, IPNU, IPPNU, and ISNU.
Autonomous bodies, he said, are a vital part of NU’s cadre building strength. Each has its own mass base, organizational experience, and avenues for service.
Fourth, NU professionals. “The fourth group is NU members who build careers as professionals. They work across fields, from doctors, lawyers, teachers, and lecturers to journalists, entrepreneurs, and bureaucrats,” he said.
“They need not be united under a single umbrella or platform. But they must be helped to take significant positions in government and society,” he explained.
Many NU members, he said, have exceptional capacity in their own fields.
“Many surpass us. We are merely symbols. There are so many of them, and they must be facilitated and accommodated,” he said.
Fifth, cultural NU members. “The fifth group is NU community members who are active culturally or as members, even if not always involved in the jam’iyah (formal organizational) structure,” he said.
They come from diverse professional and social backgrounds. NU, he said, needs to build more open relationships so cultural members still have room to contribute.
Mas’ud Said also addressed higher education development, particularly efforts to push NU universities toward world class status.
He said that goal demands serious effort and cannot be achieved overnight.
Areas needing reinforcement include international student numbers, international faculty, international curricula, international journal publications, and academic activities with global networks.
“Adding international students, international faculty, international curricula, international journals, and more activities like these is no easy task,” he said, adding that language skills are a key asset.
This article was originally published on Bangsaonline.com under the title Lima Kelompok Perlu Mendapat Perhatian NU ke Depan
