Closing BKMM-DMI National Congress, Jusuf Kalla Says Majelis Taklim Should Drive Women's Empowerment

The fourth National Congress (Munas) of the Badan Koordinasi Majelis Taklim Dewan Masjid Indonesia (BKMM-DMI) was officially closed on Sunday (19/4/2026). The event served as the conclusion to a series of national agendas that brought together administrators and representatives from majelis taklim across various regions to strengthen coordination and formulate future programme directions.

DMI Chairman Yusuf Kalla, who attended to close the event, expressed hope that the organisation could advance women and the entire Indonesian people. The former vice president cited Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet, as an example of a driving force behind her husband’s da’wah.

“So women are the main supporters of Islam. Majelis Taklim must be able to empower its members, including by creating crafts, cooking, and so on,” said Jusuf Kalla.

JK stated that he had just returned from Japan and was impressed by the life of the society there. He said that good morals such as cleanliness, honesty, and respect for elders are clearly practised in the daily lives of Japanese people.

He gave an example that in several supermarkets, there are no guards, and customers pay for themselves with full honesty. Therefore, JK invited all parties to start improving themselves and nurturing those values in everyday life.

New Chair

Over the three days of implementation, around 150 participants from various regions followed a series of sessions until finally appointing Nora Yose as the new general chair.

Director of Islamic Religious Information from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, hopes that the Majelis Taklim, numbering more than 900 across Indonesia, can play a greater role. Not only in the religious field but also in food security, energy resilience, building solidarity, and maintaining social harmony. He said that majelis taklim must also be able to guide the ummah in filtering out hoax news.