Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the National Working Meeting of the Mosque Welfare Body, at the Presidential Palace, DKI Jakarta Province, 8 November, 2023

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Alhamdulillahi robbil alamin, washolatu wassalamu ‘ala asrofil ambiya’i wal mursalin, sayyidina wa habibina wa syafiina wa maulana Muhammadin, wa‘ala alihi wasohbihi ajma’in. Amma ba’du.

Distinguished Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Romo (Father) Kiai Haji Anwar Iskandar;
Distinguished Minister of Religious Affairs, Minister of State Secretary;
Distinguished officials of echelon I and II at Ministry of Religious Affairs, all the ulemas, leaders of mass organizations, mosque activists wherever you are;
Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Guests.

Praise and gratitude to the presence of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala (Glory to Him, the Exalted)  for bringing us together here. We also send our sholawat (prayers and praises) to Prophet Muhammad whose teachings continue to guide and inspire us all.

Firstly, I’d like to express my appreciation for the initiative taken by Minister of Religious Affairs to revive the Mosque Welfare Body (BKM), which was established back in 1964. That’s quite a long time ago. About two weeks ago, the Minister mentioned to me “Sir, the BKM should be revived, much like its operation in the 1960s.” I said, “We’re ready.” I mean in terms of necessary regulations, whether it’s a presidential regulation or a presidential decree, we’ll prepare it later. Everything else that matters will be the Minister’s responsibility.

With a membership spanning over 17,600 mosques across all corners of the country, the potential benefits of BKM are significant for both Muslims and the Indonesian nation. And, with the BKM’s involvement, we hope these places of worship to be professionally and responsibly managed, to benefit the people. This way, mosques can transform into centers for development of the ummah, national progress, and a place welcoming to all.

We want places of worship can serve as sacred spaces for prayer, fostering unity in diversity, and as educational centers for character development. I hope that the central and national levels of BKM management can actively synergize to safeguard mosques against the threats of intolerance and extremism, as well as divisive politicization that doesn’t promote unity or harmony. This way, we can continue to uphold national unity and cohesion.

Lastly, I once again extend my best wishes to all BKM management. May Allah SWT continue to bless and support our endeavors in developing and maintaining our mosques.

That concludes my remarks. And by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this afternoon I hereby open the 2023 National Working Conference of the Mosque Welfare Body.

I thank you,
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(RIF/LW)