Minister Nasaruddin Umar Says West Java Deserves to Be a Model of Harmony and Togetherness for Other Regions in Indonesia

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has stated that West Java deserves to serve as an example of harmony and togetherness for other regions in Indonesia. He delivered a sermon before the community and religious leaders at the Al Jabbar Grand Mosque in Bandung alongside West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, in conjunction with welcoming the Islamic New Year 1448 Hijriah on Tuesday, 9 June 2026. During the occasion, the Ministry of Religious Affairs also launched the Indonesia Economic Islam Forum, a platform expected to strengthen the sharia economic ecosystem and promote public welfare. Nasaruddin said that West Java demonstrates an exemplary harmonious relationship between the government and the community. According to him, the closeness fostered between regional leaders and residents is a crucial asset in building the region. “How the community loves its governor and vice versa, how the governor loves and prioritises the welfare of the people. This is an excellent example for the future. This is Indonesia and this is Islam,” Nasaruddin told the press on Tuesday. He expressed hope that West Java could become a mirror for other regions, not only in building interfaith harmony but also in strengthening social togetherness within a diverse society. “We hope that West Java will become a mirror as a centre of religious and civic harmony. We also salute the breakthroughs made by the Governor, which truly create an extraordinary togetherness,” he said. At the Islamic New Year commemoration, Nasaruddin also invited the public to use the Hijriah new year as a means to strengthen peaceful, compassionate Islamic values that bring benefit to others. In his sermon, he reminded attendees of the importance of getting into the habit of reciting the basmalah in various daily activities. According to him, this habit is not only practised when eating, but also when studying, reading the Qur’an, working, and seeking knowledge, as a way of bringing Islamic values into daily life. Meanwhile, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said that the future construction of places of worship would focus more on small mosques within neighbourhoods rather than building large, grand mosques. According to Dedi, neighbourhood mosques play an important role as centres for residents’ social and religious activities.