JAKARTA \u2014 Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema\nCouncil\u2019s (MUI) Foreign Relations and International Cooperation\ndivision, has urged the government to be alert to the risk of social\nclashes following plans for tenor Andrea Bocelli to perform in\nIndonesia. He said economic interests must not override public\nsensitivities over Palestine.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet us not allow this issue to cause clashes in society. The risk is\ntoo great,\u201d Sudarnoto said in Matraman, South Jakarta, on Monday (26\nOctober 2026).<\/p>\n
Sudarnoto said groups supporting Palestine and those opposed to\nZionism had shown growing support in response to the concert plans. He\nhad also received information about a planned mass religious gathering\nnear the concert venue at Borobudur Temple, scheduled for the same day\nand time as Bocelli\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n
He said the situation should concern the government, to ensure\ndiffering views on the concert did not develop into friction within\nsociety.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the aim is economic, that is interesting. But morally, we do not\nhave to accept bringing Bocelli here in this way when he supports\nkilling,\u201d Sudarnoto said.<\/p>\n
He said some people had begun trying to pit the MUI against followers\nof other religions over the opposition to the concert. \u201cThat is\nabsolutely not the intention. This is not about religion or music. It is\nabout Bocelli\u2019s insensitivity to the issue of Palestine,\u201d Sudarnoto said\nin response to the accusation.<\/p>\n
Sudarnoto also disclosed informal discussions about possible mass\naction ahead of 31 October and 3 November. Proposals had been raised in\nthose discussions to hold large demonstrations in response to the\nconcert plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis could trigger friction, if not between groups of demonstrators\nthen perhaps between demonstrators and the security personnel, whose\npresence will naturally be tight,\u201d Sudarnoto said.<\/p>\n
There had also been proposals for the House of Representatives (DPR)\nto summon the relevant ministries to discuss the matter. Sudarnoto said\nthe DPR\u2019s Commission X had also been mentioned in discussions about\npossible parliamentary involvement.<\/p>\n
He said that, given how events were developing, demonstrations were a\npossibility. The government therefore needed to take the social\nconsequences of its decisions into account.<\/p>\n
Sudarnoto stressed that Indonesia needed to protect its reputation as\na country that stands up for Palestine and humanitarian values.\nPromoting economic activity remained important, he said, but it had to\nbe pursued with due consideration for moral questions and public\nsensitivities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must protect this nation from trouble. We must safeguard\nIndonesia\u2019s name as a defender of Palestine and humanity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He hoped the government would reconsider its approach to ensure\neconomic interests did not lead to social tensions.<\/p>\n
Sudarnoto said the MUI had communicated with various parties about\nthe concert plans, including several ministers. He was subsequently\ninformed that the plans had been discussed with the National Police for\nsome time and had received authorisation.<\/p>\n
He said the government appeared likely to proceed with the plans.\nSudarnoto therefore called on it to consider public concerns and the\nMUI\u2019s position when making its decision.<\/p>\n
He also said he had sent the relevant minister a primary-source\ndocument from 2010 which, according to his explanation, concerned\nfundraising and Zionist groups.<\/p>\n
Sudarnoto said the MUI had made its position clear. If the government\nproceeded with the concert, the decision would be its\nresponsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the government continues with these plans, that is the\ngovernment\u2019s business. The MUI and the community have done what they\nneeded to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mui-warns-andrea-bocelli-concert-could-trigger-social-clashes-1792990299", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }