The simultaneous activities across multiple regions form part of the government’s push to deliver practical religious services while strengthening interfaith cohesion in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.
“This spirit of mutual cooperation and care is what we continue to encourage, so that interfaith harmony grows from real, concrete practices,” Lubenah, secretary of the ministry’s Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance, said in Jakarta on Thursday.
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Lubenah said houses of worship play a strategic role beyond serving as centres of religious rituals, functioning as social, educational and cultural spaces for the wider community.
For that reason, she added, cleanliness and comfort are essential to creating an atmosphere of solemn worship while also fostering mutual respect among followers of different faiths.
“Houses of worship in Indonesia are dominated by mosques and prayer rooms, followed by churches, Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries and Confucian shrines. This requires the involvement of all parties so that these places are well maintained and function optimally for society,” she said.
According to Lubenah, the year-end cleanup initiative also reflects the state’s presence in ensuring that places of worship remain clean, safe and comfortable as public mobility increases during the holiday season.
She said houses of worship are even expected to serve as alternative rest areas for travellers, with adequate parking and sanitation facilities to support those on the move.
Meanwhile, Jamaluddin M. Marki, head of the ministry’s sub-directorate for Islamic religious counsellors, said the program had been socialised well in advance and implemented simultaneously in many regions.
The effort is being carried out through collaboration among counsellors affiliated with the Association of Indonesian Religious Extension Workers (IPARI), focusing on houses of worship under their guidance.
Nearly 900 religious counsellors have been actively involved in the initiative, operating in their respective areas, he said, with regions including Bali, Subang and others already reporting completed activities to the central team.
Jamaluddin said the program has three main objectives: supporting Christmas preparations for Christians, ensuring clean and comfortable houses of worship ahead of the New Year, and reinforcing values of devotion and public service in line with the ministry’s anniversary spirit.
“This program will not stop with the Christmas and New Year momentum. Going forward, religious counsellors will continue to develop house-of-worship-based initiatives, including for Ramadan and other religious events, using an interfaith and environmentally conscious approach,” he said.
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Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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