Ceritalah | Key to East Java: How tradition, Nusantara Islam and the religious grass roots helped secure Joko Widodo’s win in Indonesia
- Early results indicate the incumbent president increased his vote share in the north and east of the world’s most populous island
- A decisive factor in this dramatic outcome was his courtship of a huge and amorphous Islamic organisation known as Nahdlatul Ulama
A decisive factor in this dramatic outcome was Jokowi’s courtship of a huge and amorphous Islamic organisation called the Nahdlatul Ulama (translated as the ‘Revival of the Ulama’ and generally referred to as the NU).
Estimates of the NU’s membership vary – though 40 million is generally accepted as the base figure – and if you were to count affiliates, networks and allies who identify themselves as part of the NU family, the number could swell up to more than a 100 million. Founded in 1926 as a direct response to the occupation of Mecca by the House of Saud and the imposition of stern Wahhabi teachings, the NU – whilst extremely diverse – has generally sought to balance Javanese traditions, scholarship and identity alongside Islam.
Many factors have endeared Jokowi to the NU rank and file. First and foremost is his unequivocally Javanese manner. Understated and calm, Jokowi has rarely, if ever, displayed much emotion in public. Kyai Rofiq has high regard for the president’s restraint and composure – especially when under pressure.