Bantul Regent Says GMS Worship Disruption Violates Constitution

Bantul Regent Abdul Halim Muslih has issued a strong statement regarding the disruption of Gereja Misi Sejahtera (GMS) worshippers in Panggungharjo, Sewon, Bantul. Halim insisted that persecution and intimidation against citizens practising their faith are unacceptable from both religious and national legal perspectives. “Persecution and intimidation of worshippers are never justified, whether from a religious or constitutional standpoint,” Halim stated in Yogyakarta on Wednesday (27 May). As a local leader and community figure, Halim stressed that in Islamic teachings, differences in ethnicity, religion, and race are sunatullah – God’s will that cannot be rejected. He reminded that Prophet Muhammad SAW responded to such differences with high tolerance. He added that granting non-Muslims the freedom to worship is part of practising pure Islamic teachings. “Human diversity is sunatullah, while tolerance is the sunnah of the Prophet,” he added. Regent Halim also warned that forcibly disrupting worship carries serious legal consequences. Under the constitution, the state is obligated to protect every citizen’s right to practice religion. He stated that those who carry out persecution in the name of religion are violating the essence of the religion itself. “Those responsible can be punished under the law and the constitution,” Halim firmly said. In closing, the Regent urged the entire community, particularly Muslims in Bantul Regency, to strengthen tolerance and maintain regional harmony as a tangible expression of practicing the Prophet’s teachings amid diversity.