Ministry of Religious Affairs has sent 2,199 preachers to the 3T regions
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Religious Affairs has reported sending 2,199 preachers to the 3T (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost) regions as an effort to strengthen religious understanding, instill values of tolerance, and improve the social lives of communities in remote areas by 2026.
“This year, the number of preachers we sent exceeded the target. From a target of 1,500 preachers, Alhamdulillah, as many as 2,199 preachers were sent to the 3T regions,” said the Director of Islamic Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, in a statement in Jakarta, Friday.
The figure has increased significantly each year. In fact, at the beginning of the preacher deployment program, only a few people participated. Interestingly, some preachers chose to stay and not return.
Muchlis said that religious outreach should not stop in urban areas but must reach all levels of society to the remote corners of the country.
“We all have a responsibility to present inclusive religious outreach that touches all levels of society. This is not only the task of the state but the task of all of us as a community,” he said.
In addition to strengthening religious understanding, Muchlis also believes that religious outreach plays an important role in responding to social issues in the community, such as family resilience, poverty, and the culture of food waste.
“On the one hand, there are millions of tons of food wasted each year, while on the other hand, many people still have difficulty eating. This is the task of our religious outreach to educate the public about the ethics of consumption in Islam,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Zakat and Waqf Empowerment at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Waryono Abdul Ghafur, said that the synergy between the government and Baznas (National Zakat Agency) and various LAZ (Amil Zakat Institutions) continues to be strengthened in community empowerment programs, including supporting the deployment of preachers to the 3T regions.
“This support is not only given to Bimas Islam (Islamic Affairs Guidance), but also to Islamic education through scholarship programs and strengthening human resources,” said Waryono.
According to him, the presence of zakat and philanthropic institutions is increasingly important in the face of the needs of communities in remote areas that still require joint attention.
He gave an example that there are still communities in remote areas that face limited access to basic services, including health. This condition shows the importance of collaboration between the government, philanthropic institutions, and religious organizations in supporting community development.
“We have received many reports from the 3T regions that Indonesia’s development requires joint efforts from various parties. Therefore, we hope that this collaboration will continue to be strengthened in the future,” he said.