DPR Urges MUI to Immediately Submit Draft Bill on LGBT Criminalisation

Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Saan Mustopa has requested that the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) immediately submit the draft and academic text of the Bill on Criminalising Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals. This step is necessary so that the proposal can be reviewed in accordance with the legislative mechanisms in force at the DPR. “Of course, the DPR is open to input and aspirations from MUI, which is preparing an LGBT-related bill,” Saan said at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (30/6/2026). Saan explained that every legislative proposal from the public or civil society organisations would be studied and examined in depth. However, he stressed the importance of submitting the documents officially so that the follow-up process can proceed. “Later, it will be reviewed by the Legislative Body (Baleg), the leadership, or the DPR’s Expertise Body (BKD) regarding the proposal,” he added. Furthermore, Saan stated that the discussion of this bill would depend heavily on the substance of the proposal submitted. This includes its alignment with national legal needs and the provisions of the prevailing laws and regulations in Indonesia. Previously, MUI revealed that it was drafting the academic text and the Bill on LGBT Criminalisation. This initiative aims to push the regulation into the National Legislation Programme (Prolegnas) of the DPR RI. MUI Deputy Chairman Cholil Nafis stated that this legal measure was taken because moral approaches and social appeals were deemed no longer effective. According to him, the increasingly open phenomenon of LGBT in public spaces requires a firmer and clearer legal foundation. The draft and academic text currently being finalised by MUI will serve as the formal basis for proposing the LGBT Criminalisation Bill to be prioritised for discussion in parliament.