MUI Calls on Public to Reject LGBT Normalization
SUARA NEGERI ■ JAKARTA — The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on the public to openly oppose efforts to normalize LGBT behavior. The call came after the MUI detected a systematic movement from abroad to influence the views of Indonesian society, especially the younger generation on campus.
"Regarding external forces, it's always a battle between good and evil. Therefore, we are in a vacuum, so those who are sane must speak out. Those who are sane must not remain silent; they must speak out," said Deputy Chairman of the MUI, Cholil Nafis, to MUI Digital, Wednesday (June 17, 2026).
He urged the public to increase vigilance from the smallest unit, starting with protecting family, friends, and the immediate environment.
Kyai Cholil even asked the ecosystem around campus areas, such as boarding house and apartment owners, to be sensitive and take preventative action if they find any indication of such deviant activity.
He deplored the perspective of some young people who view LGBT behavior as part of a social media trend or as a pretext for freedom of expression.
According to him, personal rights in Indonesia are not absolute and limitless, as this country is based on Pancasila and religious norms.
"Individual rights may be exercised as long as they do not violate the rights of others. Within our religion and national context, we have the command to enjoin good and forbid evil. One cannot commit evil in the name of personal rights," he explained.
He also added that not a single religion recognized in Indonesia tolerates or positively values such behavior.
To date, positive law in Indonesia is deemed insufficiently grounded to prosecute perpetrators or those specifically campaigning for the LGBT movement in public spaces.
Therefore, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) urges the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government to immediately initiate firm legal regulations.
"Currently, we don't have a strong legal basis to prosecute, let alone severely and firmly punish, perpetrators and those who promote LGBT. We urge our representatives in the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government to initiate regulations and enforce them firmly, so that law enforcement has a basis," he said.
The caretaker of the Cendekia Amanah Islamic Boarding School warned that the greatest danger of this phenomenon is not the disease itself, but rather when society begins to view this deviation as the new normal.
"We must agree that LGBT is a deviation, an abnormality, and it must raise awareness for all of us to protect ourselves. We must not normalize it; in fact, we must fight against its campaigns," Kiai Cholil concluded. (rls/Jeane Patikawa)
