"Initially No One Supported It" Religious Affairs Minister Reveals Secrets Behind the Istiqlal-Kathedral Friendship Tunnel

JAKARTA - Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister (Menag RI) Nasaruddin Umar reminisced about his struggle to convince the seventh President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, to build the Friendship Tunnel connecting the Cathedral Church and the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta.

Nasaruddin noted that initially no one supported the idea because one of the biggest challenges was the cost.

Beginning his story, Nasaruddin recalled his words to the Archbishop of Jakarta, Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, during the Youth Pledge moment several years ago, expressing a desire to unite the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church.

“If I had the authority, I would request permission to demolish the fences between Istiqlal and the Cathedral, so that this becomes a shared courtyard between Istiqlal and the Cathedral,” said Nasaruddin while attending the celebration of the 219th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Jakarta at the Cathedral Church on Saturday morning (9/5/2026).

Later, when serving as the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, he proposed to Joko Widodo, who was then President of the Republic of Indonesia, to build a tunnel connecting the church and the mosque as a symbol of tolerance.

However, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) deemed the construction of the friendship tunnel very expensive, because beneath the ground between the mosque and the church there is a giant Dutch-era pipe that supplies drinking water to the Menteng area in Central Jakarta.

Therefore, to build the tunnel, very deep excavation would be required.

“Initially, no one supported it because the budget was quite substantial. I reported back to Mr President, ‘Sir, they say the cost is expensive,’” Nasaruddin continued.

Nevertheless, he tried to persuade Jokowi that the tunnel to be built was not just any tunnel but a symbol of tolerance.

Upon hearing Nasaruddin’s words, Jokowi immediately agreed, and the tunnel project was promptly initiated.

“This means it’s the only tolerance tunnel in the world. Every state guest, their first visit after the Palace is to see this tunnel, including His Holiness Pope Francis who just visited,” he added.

Now, the tunnel stands firmly and was inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto in 2024.