REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), one of Indonesia's largest Islamic organizations, Said Aqil Siradj, said on Saturday that the organization remains committed to preserving national unity.

"We are still committed to preserving national unity as was shown by NU founding clerics, who fought for the country's independence," he said while announcing the names of the new members of the NU board for the 2015 to 2020 period.

In the current context, he said, the NU executive board (PBNU) would strive to strengthen the four pillars that support the nationhood namely, "Pancasila" (state ideology), "Bhineka Tunggal Ika" (unity in diversity principle), "NKRI" (the unitary state of Indonesia) and "UUD 1945" (the constitution).

He said PBNU would fight based on a nationalist and populist political strategy.

"We hope that during the 2015-2020 term PBNU can become a significant presence in the nation and be useful to the community. So please pray for us and give your support so that NU and the nation can continue to receive God's blessings," he said.

Siradj added that the new PBNU would implement the organization's strategic programs, which were started by the previous board, during the next five years in the fields of education, health and economy.

"NU will implement these programs and will not ignore other programs, which are essential to NU's service to the community," he said.

He pointed out that PBNU would also concentrate on helping the younger generation from various educational backgrounds by intensifying human resource development programs and providing room for the educated younger generation to have professional skills in fields that contribute to the development of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and "Islam Nusantara" (archipelago Islam).

"We are convinced that the Nahdliyin (NU members) or younger generation will make important contributions to the pesantren, NU and the nation with their ideas and energy," he said.

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