NU supreme leader: Saudi Arabia in need of Indonesia

Jakarta, NU Online
The supreme leader (Rais Aam) of the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Ma'ruf Amin, popularly know as Kiai Ma'ruf, said here recently that Saudi Arabia was in need of Indonesia as the world's predominantly Muslim country.

"We only hope that he will pay greater attention to Indonesia and I think Saudi Arabia highly needs Indonesia which has neutral foreign policy," he said.

Kiai Ma'ruf likened the close relations between the two countries to the ones between two brothers. Both Indonesia and Saudi Arabia established relations long before Indonesia proclaimed its independence.

Several Indonesians once became the imam of Al-Masjid al-Haram and studied in Mecca, including Syaikh Muhammad Nawawi Al-Jawi Al-Bantani, Achmad Khotib Al-Syambasi, and Syaikh Ahmad Khatib Al-Minangkabawi.

"I think it (the meeting) is very important. We hope relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia in the future will become closer," Kiai Maruf said in the Presidential Palace compounds.

He also said the Saudi king's visit to Indonesia was monumental because he had played a role as a custodian of two Holy Mosques -- Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.

He expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia would increase their investment in Indonesia as the world's predominantly Muslim country.

As many as 36 Indonesian Islamic figures met King Salman at the Merdeka Palace, including chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic organization KH Said Aqil Siradj, chairman of Muhammadiyah KH Haedar Nasir, chief of MUI's advisory council Din Syamsuddin, leader of Gontor Islamic boarding school Hasan Abdullah Sahal, leader of Walisongo Islamic boarding school KH Kholil Asad, and Islamic preachers such as Arifin Ilham and Yusuf Mansur. (Masdar)