Jusuf Kalla: LGBT is Haram, No Need for Specific Legislation

Former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla has asserted that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) acts are forbidden (haram) in Islam, suggesting that this religious prohibition negates the need for specific legislation. He made the remarks to journalists after speaking at the 8th Indonesian Muslim Congress in Jakarta on Sunday, 26 July 2026, in response to a congress recommendation proposing special regulations concerning LGBT.

‘For me, LGBT is haram. If it is haram, there is no need for a law. It is already haram. So there is no need to stipulate that those affected are… we just say it is haram. Because it is not allowed. If you do it, you are committing a sin,’ Kalla stated.

However, Kalla acknowledged that regulation through state law is not a simple matter. He noted the significant challenges in proving such acts if they were to be made a criminal offence. ‘Because it is very difficult to prove such things. There is a law, but prove it. Well, we will try to see what the law says. But the biggest law is that it is haram,’ he said.

When asked whether the congress’s recommendations should also consider social and family education approaches, Kalla said such formulations must be left to competent authorities. ‘Yes, how to do that? I myself do not know. The ulama understand what is required by legal experts,’ he added. He emphasised that the core issue is the religious prohibition, while the formulation of positive legal rules could be examined through existing provisions, such as the Criminal Code.