New Criminal Code Seen as Momentum to Strengthen Religious Harmony

The implementation of the new Criminal Code (KUHP) is considered a momentum to strengthen the approach to maintaining religious harmony in Indonesia. The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) is encouraging the reinforcement of a paradigm that is not only oriented towards protecting religion as an institution, but also towards creating a peaceful shared living space within a pluralistic society. This view was conveyed by the Head of the Centre for Religious Harmony (PKUB) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, M. Adib Abdushomad, while opening the Harmony Talks Batch 4 webinar entitled ‘National Strategy for Maintaining Harmony and Protecting Religious Life After the New KUHP’ on Friday (3/7/2026). According to Adib, diversity is a fundamental characteristic of the Indonesian nation, so the implementation of new regulations needs to be directed at strengthening harmonious coexistence. Therefore, the approach to maintaining harmony must be continuously adapted to societal developments without abandoning the principle of respect for every citizen’s right to practise their beliefs. ‘In this new perspective, the law is not only present to protect religion as an institution, but to ensure a safe space for all people to live side by side peacefully. This is the spirit we want to safeguard so that the implementation of the new KUHP truly strengthens brotherhood amidst diversity,’ said Adib. He explained that the concept of protecting religious coexistence places social harmony as one of the important objectives in law enforcement. This approach is expected to strengthen a culture of dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful resolution of issues within a plural society. According to Adib, the success of the new KUHP’s implementation is determined not only by legal instruments, but also by the public’s understanding of the importance of maintaining harmony as social capital for national development. The webinar also featured the Director General of Politics and General Government at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Akmal Malik, as a keynote speaker. In his presentation, Akmal stressed the importance of synergy between the central government, regional governments, and the community in overseeing the implementation of various policies related to religious life. He assessed that cross-institutional coordination and strengthening understanding at the regional level are important factors for the effective implementation of regulations while maintaining social stability. The discussion, moderated by the Head of the Division for the Development of Religious Harmony Institutions and Religious Institutions at PKUB, Hery Susanto, also presented Zainal Abidin Bagir from the Steering Board of the Indonesian Coalition for Advocacy on Freedom of Religion and Belief, and Lipiyus Biniluk, Chairman of the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) of Papua Province. The speakers discussed various challenges in maintaining religious harmony following the enactment of the new KUHP, including the importance of strengthening dialogue, building trust between religious communities, and increasing public literacy regarding the substance of the applicable regulations. The Ministry of Religious Affairs hopes that such discussion forums can serve as a space for the exchange of ideas between the government, academics, religious leaders, and civil society in formulating strategies to strengthen religious harmony. With increased mutual understanding, the implementation of the new KUHP is expected to support the creation of a peaceful and inclusive religious life, as well as strengthen unity amidst the diversity of Indonesian society.