Ansor cadres must be ready to face any new challenge

Jakarta, NU Online
General chairman of the Ansor Youth Movement Syaifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) called on  cadres of the NU youth wing to be capable of dealing with any new challenge, saying that the cadres should also prepare themselves as leaders in the future.

Gus Ipul said that in the past, cadres of Ansor could take part in handling various social problems and be capable of keeping up with any social development in the time.<>

"In the era in which there was either TV or newpaper, cadres of Ansor could be the mouthpiece of ulema (Islamic scholars) to people. But now we have most of the time been slower in accessing information. At this point, I want Ansor cadres to be ready in facing emerging challenges," he said as at the 16th Conference of Ansor at the Vice Presidential Palace on Monday (25/01).

As meeting with Vice President Boediono, Gus Ipul said that Ansor could meant ansorullah, the defender of Allah or was the other name of a tribal group Khajrah in Madinah which studied Islam to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and finally facilitated the Prophet's hijrah as he was facing threats posed by people in Mecca.

Because of this, he said, NU initiated a youth organization so-called as Ansor, adding that this organization was established to at least defending the teachings of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah having so far been preserved and evolved by NU.

During its 74 year old journey, Ansor has been mature enough and capable of facing various challenges and keeping up with social changes in the country. Ansor has always involved itself in the dymanics of the national development in Indonesia and upheld the Unitary State of Republic of Indonesia.

"It's been our duty to cultivate and preserve our sense of (always) loving the country," Gus Ipul said, adding that Ansor had also dedicated itself as such a place mediating any dispute which is potential to threaten the national integrity.

One of challenges facing the ANsor cadres, he said, was free trade. At this point he called on all the nation's elements including Ansor to further increase their competitiveness in the free trade on one hand and their loving to domestic products on the other. (mkf)