Banda Aceh News | JANTHO, ACEH — In a strategic effort to cultivate intellectual vigor and deepen political literacy, the Branch Executive Board of the National Awakening Party (DPC PKB) of Aceh Besar hosted a national book review and discussion panel centered on the revolutionary ideas of H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto and Ali Shari’ati. The academic event took place on Monday, November 9, 2026, at the Dekranasda Hall in Aceh Besar.
Designed as a platform for critical discourse, the forum sought to bridge political organizing with academic inquiry, attracting party cadres, youth movement representatives, and university students across the province. The agenda focused on two foundational texts: Islam dan Sosialisme (Islam and Socialism) by Indonesian national hero H.O.S. Tjokroaminoto and Sosialisme Islam: Pemikiran Ali Syari’ati (Islamic Socialism: The Thought of Ali Shari’ati) authored by Eko Supriyadi.
Moderated by Mursyidan, the panel featured prominent intellectuals Jabal Sab and Haekal Afifa, who systematically deconstructed both thinkers’ contributions to social justice, anti-oppression movements, and structural societal transformation.
The event drew high-profile parliamentary figures and party leaders, including Chairman of the PKB Fraction at the Aceh People’s Representative Council (DPRA) Munawar AR (popularly known as Ngohwan); Secretary of the Syura Council of DPW PKB Aceh Tgk. Muhammad Hafiz; and Deputy Chairman of the Aceh Besar Regional House of Representatives (DPRK) Muhsin, S.Si.
Also in attendance were PKB Aceh Besar DPRK members Yusran Efendi, Apriono, and Sarjan Zamzam, alongside DPC PKB Aceh Besar Treasurer Muhammad (Cutbit), party executive boards, youth leaders, and university student delegations.
Reclaiming Religious Values for Social Liberation
Chairman of DPC PKB Aceh Besar H. Syahrizal, S.Kom., emphasized that political parties must function as incubators for critical thought and intellectual growth rather than operating solely as electoral machinery.
“Political parties should not merely serve as spaces for political consolidation and electoral struggle. They must also nurture ideas, knowledge, and critical thinking,” Syahrizal stated, adding that Tjokroaminoto and Shari’ati offer crucial historical frameworks for applying faith toward social justice.
Through Tjokroaminoto’s writings, attendees examined how early 20th-century Indonesian nationalists integrated Islamic egalitarianism with anti-colonial socialism. Meanwhile, Ali Shari’ati’s discourse provided an analytical lens on Islam as a emancipatory force—empowering the marginalized (mustaz’afin) and awakening revolutionary consciousness against systemic inequality.
Building Ideological Resilience Beyond Electoral Power
The presence of youth movement leaders and university students fostered a dynamic cross-generational dialogue, connecting historic socio-political theory with modern challenges such as wealth inequality, public accountability, and ethical leadership.
PKB Aceh Besar announced plans to institutionalize regular intellectual forums to ensure party cadres develop rigorous analytical capabilities alongside practical field organizing.
By hosting this symposium, PKB Aceh Besar sends a clear signal: legitimate political action must remain firmly grounded in transformative ideas, moral integrity, and unwavering advocacy for public welfare.
