The incident occurred at Padang city in West Sumatra.
“I will deploy a team to Padang, hoping that the incident in the city will be the last we witness in Indonesia. We are truly determined to put an end to such misunderstanding-driven cases,” Umar said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The minister informed that the team will be tasked with assessing the situation on the ground. He added that he has directed the West Sumatra Regional Office of his ministry to address the issue.
Umar, who is also the grand imam of Istiqlal Mosque, also recalled a similar incident in Sukabumi, West Java.
As part of a long-term strategy to prevent such incidents, he said that the Religious Affairs Ministry has introduced an educational initiative called the Curriculum of Love, which aims to help people build mutual understanding and avoid prejudice from an early age.
“We at the Religious Affairs Ministry have our own philosophy, and we are concerned that these recent cases could be repeated. For this reason, we have decided to take an alternative approach by introducing the Love Curriculum,” he elaborated.
On July 27, 2025, a group of people forcibly dismissed congregants from the Setia Indonesia Christian Church during a religious gathering in Koto Tangah sub-district, Padang.
A video circulating on social media shows dozens of people intimidating the congregants and forcing them to end their activities. The perpetrators were even seen tearing down the venue.
Based on the footage, the West Sumatra Regional Police have so far named nine suspects in the case.
Related news: Government vows action over Christian students' intimidation case
Related news: Ministry refutes charge of religious intimidation
Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
