VIVAnews – Prior to being appointed Head of General Elections Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu), Nur Hidayat Sardini was probably popular only among the inhabitants of Semarang, especially in Diponegoro University. The 39-year-old is a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Science in Diponegoro University. However, as of April 2008, Nur heads the agency that is in charge of keeping a watch on the 2009 elections in Indonesia.
Nur was born on 10th October 1969 in Pekalongan, Central Java. He is the eldest of five children. His father was an employee at the Department of Religious Affairs as well as an activist of Barisan Serba Guna (Banser), the militia of the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, the Nahdhatul Ulama (NU). His mother was active in Fatayat, the young women's association of the NU, and Muslimat, older women's association of the NU. Nur was thus raised by NU followers. “I go to school in the morning and go to Diniyah (Islamic school, ed.) in the evening,” recalled Nur when VIVAnews interviewed him at his apartment in Kuningan, South Jakarta, last October.
At a young age, Nur was already proficient in reading the Quran and kitab kuning (classical text books used in Islamic boarding schools) reader. However, “I like to read Kho Ping Hoo's comic books as well,” he said, giggling. His interest in reading was well-supported by his parents.
Nur has been active in student organizations since he was in junior high school. He joined the youth organization of Nahdhatul Ulama (IPNU) while in Simbang Wetan Islamic Junior High School, Buaran, Pekalongan. After graduating from junior high school, he chose to go to a public senior high school, SMA 2, to his parents’ dismay. His parents had wanted him to go to a religion-based school such as Madrasah Aliyah. “Mom was upset,” said Nur.
However, Nur was able to ease his parents’ worries. He told his parents that in order for him to succeed he had to be independent. Upon graduating from SMA 2 Pekalongan, he moved to Semarang to continue his studies at the Diponegoro University. There, his enthusiasm in joining various organizations continued. He joined the Indonesian Muslim Students Association (HMI) and was active in the students’ study groups and the university press.
While he was active at the university newspaper of the Faculty of Social and Political Science, “Opini,” Nur had to face security officials. Nur and his friends had published a story on then Indonesian military, ABRI (Indonesian Armed Forces). The main title was: “Dual Function of ABRI: Unconstitutional.” This was in 1993, when the New Order government of Soeharto was still in full power. The writing also contained interviews with Ali Sadikin, one of the signatories of Petisi 50, a document protesting then President Soeharto's use of state philosophy Pancasila against political opponents, and renowned Indonesian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer. “I was lucky I wasn’t imprisoned,” said Nur.
His experience of dealing with the security officials did not discourage him from joining organizations and criticizing the government. He continued to be active in HMI and eventually managed its Coordinating Body. He was also a member of the university’s Student Senate, where he became well acquainted with his lecturers and university officials.
Upon graduating in 1997, he was offered to teach at his alma mater.
Even after becoming a lecturer, he continued his organizational activities. From 1997 and 2003, Nur was Director of Institute for Social And Ethics Studies (ISES) of Semarang. In 1999, Nur founded the Local Legislative Watch (LLW) of Central Java with his colleagues. In the same year, Nur was member of Working Body for City Forum of Semarang. From 2000 to 2002, Nur was Head of Semarang Communication Division for Corruption Collusion and Nepotism Watch. In 2003, Nur was appointed President of the Elections Supervisory Body of Central Java Province.
It was also in 2003, at the age of 34, that he married Endang Riagustrianingsih, a student of his at Diponegoro University. Nur admitted that he did not date Endang before marrying her. He first knew her when she just started college. “At that time there was nothing special,” he said. Nur got the courage to propose to Endang when he was invited to be a speaker at a seminar in Semarang in 2003. Endang was a member of the seminar’s committee. “She looked sweet,” he said. After the seminar, Nur approached Endang. “I don’t need a girlfriend. I’m looking for a wife. Please, think it over,” he said. Three weeks later he received a positive answer and they then got married.
Being the Head of Elections Monitoring Body, Nur has to live separately from his wife and child, Fairly Visnumurti Hidayat. Nur lives in Jakarta with his two employees in an apartment that the government provides in substitute of a company house. His wife lives in Semarang, attending post-graduate program at Semarang State University. “Thank God, my wife understands my job. We call each other every day,” he said. Once every two weeks, Nur Hidayat visits his wife in Semarang. If his wife is free, she would go to Jakarta.
Nur Hidayat Sardini is the first permanent head of the General Elections Monitoring Agency.
Translated by: Bonardo Maulana W., Ramona Sofianne Dewi.
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