By : M. Syarbani Haira*)
KNOW what wind? The slanted and discordant voices that wanted to dismiss the General Treasurer of PBNU, Mardani H Maming, suddenly increased. The gossip stems from the trial case of the Head of the ESDM Office of Tanah Bumbu Regency, Dwidjono Putrohadi Sutopo, who was accused of making mistakes in the delegation of IUP (Mining Business Permit) permits in the district which began to exist after the reform.
The trial of the former Head of ESDM Tanbu mentioned Mardani H Madaning (MHM), the Regent of Tanah Bumbu for the 2005 – 2015 period, who was his superior. I don’t know what happened, up to 3 times MHM was unable to appear offline at the trial as a witness. MHM’s offer to appear online was rejected by the court. It was only at the trial held Monday, April 25, 2022, that MHM was present. After MHM’s testimony in court, the issue later developed that MHM had to resign from the position of General Treasurer of PBNU.
The boisterous voices between those asking for MHM to be impeached and those defending were equally noisy. At first, because it was related to NU, the jam’iyah diniyah that I followed, I immediately responded. Incidentally, a number of journalists have asked for my comments regarding this issue. However, I remember the NU doctrine, where NU citizens must always consider the aspects of “benefits and mafsadat” (benefits and harms), and I turned right. A number of journalists to whom I initially had the opportunity to give answers, I had to contact them again. I beg you to cancel first, later I will prepare a special article about this.
At first I was just ignorant about this matter. Especially regarding MHM, the great young character from Tanah Bumbu, my interactions with him were minimal. My first direct interaction occurred in 2013, during the inauguration of the South Kalimantan PWNU at the South Kalimantan NU Da’wah Building, Jl Ahmad Yani KM 12. At that time MHM was already a regent, supposedly the youngest in Indonesia. He was present wearing a light green NU batik uniform, which was prepared by the committee, which was cheaply priced at only Rp. 65 thousand. MHM, like many other NU figures, entered the ranks of the South Kalimantan PWNU Mustasyar on the recommendation of the Tanah Bumbu PCNU. At that time I took a photo together, after that I never met again. Until he finished carrying out his duties as regent for 2 terms, I also never stopped by or visited his place of work or residence.
I only met again after MHM was not a regent. He had become a national entrepreneur, around November (or December) 2017, ahead of the South Kalimantan PWNU Regional Conference. I met MHM with Syaipul Adhar, a brilliant young character from Tanah Bumbu, who is also still in the MHM family. Incidentally, as usual, before the 5th anniversary of the South Kalimantan PWNU, the political temperature within NU rose. There is a group that wants Dr. H. Hasib Salim, former Head of PCNU HSU became Chairman of PWNU South Kalimantan replacing me who had 2 terms. On the other hand, there are also NU figures and activists who favor Drs. H. Abdul Haris Makkie, Regional Secretary of South Kalimantan Province, became the Chair of the South Kalimantan PWNU.
Reportedly, the nomination for the Regional Secretary of South Kalimantan Province was supported by Uncle Birin, the Governor of South Kalimantan. Meanwhile Hasib Salim is reportedly supported by MHM, along with the South Kalimantan PDI-P network. Responding to this phenomenon, MHM checked with related parties, which finally he found the answer that Uncle Birin did support Haris Makkie. Based on this data, MHM contacted Syaipul Adhar to discuss the regional conference. The “six eyes” discussion agreed on the Chairman of the PWNU South Kalimantan Haris Makkie, Secretary Berry Nahdian Furqon, and the first deputy chairman Hasib Salim. The conference was held as planned. Alhamdulillah, everything went well, even though there was turmoil. The spirit of being NU, the design agreement that has been built has been reached. Then my relationship with MHM went back to being normative.
The fuss about MHM’s testimony at the corruption trial, especially the loud voices calling for MHM to be dismissed from the position of General Treasurer of PBNU, I feel I have a moral responsibility to provide enlightenment. In my opinion, the desire to remove MHM from the PBNU structure can be a wild ball that can be thrown everywhere.
Even though my mission is solely for peace and the benefit of NU, the public’s response can be multi-interpreted. Worst of all, I could be accused of being contaminated by the interests of MHM cs within NU. But I still think positive, MHM ber-NU is sincere, istiqomah. His family, as told by the late Haji Abidin (PBNU treasurer in the era of KH Said Aqil Siraj), were originally nahdliyyin. Haji Abidin and his father MHM, Haji Maming (also deceased) – it’s a good idea to give a Suratul Fatihan gift to Haji Abidin and Haji Maming — who both used to be pambakal (village heads) in the Tanah Bumbu area, and are both stone mining entrepreneurs. coals. They are both great figures in their area, both become successful entrepreneurs with their talents. MHM himself before joining PDI-P was the Chairman of the PKB Tanah Bumbu Branch. If I’m not mistaken, he was a member of the DPRD from 2004 to 2009. He had to leave PKB because he defended Gus Dur in 2008 during the PKB conflict between Cak Imin and Gus Dur. It turned out that MHM had found a place to channel its political talents in the PDI-P, by staying well connected with people he knew at NU.
It could be that my thesis is wrong. Because I rarely join MHM. If there is a physical meeting, it is only at a formal event. This includes the inauguration of the PBNU management in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, 16 Rajab 1443 hijriyah (17 February 2021 AD). In conclusion, I am not like other NU figures, who are diligent in communicating with MHM. But that does not reduce my enthusiasm for defending MHM. Regarding the rules within NU, this is indeed a dilemma. I can also understand the confusion of the chairman of the PBNU Gus Yahya regarding this matter. But I think applying the rules rigidly and strictly is not a good solution. In time, NU will be completely sterile from political practice. So, even though MHM is still the leader of the PDI-P, it doesn’t matter that he is still the Bendum of PBNU.
MHM’s involvement in PBNU is not just a namesake. He does have an obsession with advancing, just like the ideas and ideas of the PBNU Chairman Gus Yahya. On one occasion, MHM had good ideas about NU, it’s a shame the NU people, especially in Tanah Bumbu in the past period, couldn’t translate MHM’s ideas well. In the end it didn’t work. It seems that now between the ideas and ideas of the PBNU Chairman Gus Yahya there is a symbiotic mutualism, hopefully it will be realized.
MHM’s extensive network as a businessman, former regent, as well as the HIPMI network, the leader of the PDI-P are certainly valuable for NU. Honestly admitted, NU’s excellence is still around as a scholar and academician. If there are also entrepreneurs at NU, it could be that they are descendants like Jusuf Kalla, and it could be boarding house people who have been hanging around NU a lot lately. The rest are generally activists, whether it’s from GP Ansor, PMII, and so on.
I think we should stop the idea of dismissing MHM as General Treasurer of PBNU. We take advantage of his presence for the progress of NU. We let go of the fanaticism of the congress in Lampung, we are looking forward to a better future for NU. The combination of PBNU General Chair Gus Yahya Cholil Staqub, with great and brilliant representatives, such as KH Zulfa Musthofa, Prof. Dr. Nizar Ali, Dr. Nusron Wahid and Habib Hilal al-Aidid, with the Secretary General, an activist Gus Iful (Syaifullah Yusuf), and General Treasurer Mardani H Maming (whose members are also great).
That way, God willing, PBNU this period will record genuine history, pioneering NU to build “world civilization”, organize jam’iyah, and is determined to cadre the congregation. It is hoped that this duet of great people will be smooth until the end of their term of office in 2027. God willing, barokallah…!!!
*) Chairman of the Syuro Council of Masjid As-Su’ada Campus, Sheikh Abdul Kadir Hasan, NU University of South Kalimantan, Jl. Ahmad Yani KM 12, Banjar, South Kalimantan
