Friday, January 10, 2025

Religious ministry mullss preachers’ certification after a recent preaching controversy

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Julian Isaac

Journalist

Editor

Interview

The Ministry of Religious Affairs is reviewing a proposal from the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) regarding the certification of religious preachers following a recent controversy involving a popular Muslim preacher’s inappropriate behavior.

Nasaruddin Umar, Minister of Religious Affairs, said that the idea of granting licenses or permits for preaching activities will be examined soon.

“We are in the process of reviewing this, and we will discuss it further in the near future,” Nasaruddin told the media at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, December 9, 2024.

The proposal for preachers’ certification follows a preaching controversy involving Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman, also known as Gus Miftah.

A video footage recently recently went viral in which Gus Miftah was accused of belittling a mobile tea seller during a religious lecture.

In response to this, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the need for careful deliberation before making any decisions regarding the proposal.

He stressed the importance of consulting with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and other religious organizations before moving forward.

“We will seek input from the Ulema Council and religious organizations. We need to hear their opinions first,” President Prabowo said during a press conference on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Earlier, Maman Imanulhaq, a member of the House’s Religious Affairs Commission VIII, had called for the certification of religious preachers to ensure that they have the necessary qualifications to deliver religious teachings.

Maman also criticized Gus Miftah for his remarks, which were seen as disrespectful and offensive to the public.

In response to the backlash, Gus Miftah resigned from his position as Special Presidential Envoy for Religious Harmony and Infrastructure Development on Friday, December 6, 2024.

In his resignation statement, Gus Miftah clarified that his decision was made out of deep respect, love, and responsibility toward President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian people, and not due to any external pressure.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs’ review of the preacher certification proposal will be a significant discussion in ensuring the quality and ethical standards of preaching activities in Indonesia.

Julian Isaac

Journalist

 

Editor

 

Interview

SUBSCRIBE NOW
We will provide you with an invoice for your reimbursable expenses.

Free

New to Indonesian market? Read our free articles before subscribing to the premium plan. If you already run your business in Indonesia, make sure to subscribe to the premium subscription so you won’t miss any intelligence & business opportunities.

Premium

$550 USD/Year

or

$45 USD/Month

Cancelation: you can cancel your subscription at any time, by sending us an email inquiry@ibp-media.com

Add keywords to your market watch and receive notification:
Schedule a free consultation with us:

We’ll contact you for confirmation.

FURTHER READING

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has sealed a 30.16-kilometer sea fence located in the waters off Tangerang Regency, Banten that had been erected without securing the permit, known as the Suitability of Marine Space Utilization Activities (KKPRL).
Special Advisor to the President for Economic Affairs, Bambang Brodjonegoro, admitted that Indonesia is still lagging behind in the competition to attract investment compared to other Southeast Asian countries.
Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang has revealed that Apple Inc. is still reluctant to invest in building a Mobile Phone, Handheld Computer, and Tablet (HKT) factory in Indonesia.
Indonesia has made a proud achievement in the international crafts world with the election of Baby Jurmawati as Vice President of the World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR) South-East Asia for the period 2025–2028. This appointment was announced at the 39th General Assembly of the WCC-APR which took place in Jaipur, India, on 16–18 December 2024.
Komdigi met with Head of the Special Investigation and Development Control Agency (BPPIK) on Thursday, January 9, 2025, discussing the eradication of online gambling, with focus on improving information technology (IT), IT governance, and improving human resources (HR).
One of the flagship programs of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka − the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) − which has been operational since January 6, 2025, is projected to have a budget increase to Rp420 trillion (US$26 billion).