NU congress begins in East Java to select new leaders

President Prabowo Subianto is set to attend the opening ceremony of the NU congress in Jombang, East Java on Thursday. Thousands of delegates from Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, have convened in East Java for the national congress preceding the official inauguration and election of its next five-year chairperson.

Around 590 representatives from NU branches nationwide are anticipated to participate in the congress, which is being hosted at the Bahrul Ulum pesantren, or Islamic boarding school, in Jombang regency.

The delegates will engage in electing the organization's new leadership. Mohammad Nuh, head of NU's advisory council (Syuriyah), confirmed that each NU branch had sent four representatives to the congress. "About 97 percent have arrived so far, which meets the quorum for the election of the new leader," Nuh stated on Wednesday, as per state news agency Antara.

To verify participants' credentials and thwart unauthorized access or tampering during the congress, the committee plans to issue chip-enabled access cards to all attendees. Additionally, more than 100 CCTV cameras connected to a central control room will monitor the venue, bolster security, and aid in resolving any disputes over the election results.