PBNU Concerned Over Church Service Disruption in Bantul: Dialogue Must Be Prioritised
PBNU Chairman Ahmad Fahrur Rozi (Gus Fahrur) responded to the viral incident where a church congregation in Sewon, Bantul, was disrupted by a group. Gus Fahrur expressed concern over this act of intolerance.
“The disruption of worship in Bantul is deeply regrettable and must not recur. Freedom of religion and worship is constitutionally guaranteed, so all parties must prioritise tolerance, dialogue, and wise legal resolution,” Gus Fahrur told reporters on Tuesday (26 May 2026).
He urged the public to maintain harmony and not be easily provoked to preserve unity and peace. He also called on local government to fairly facilitate a wise and constitutional resolution to prevent recurrence.
“Even if there are administrative or permit issues, resolutions must follow legal mechanisms and proper communication, not intimidation or forced dispersal. We hope government officials, community leaders, religious figures, and all citizens exercise restraint and collectively uphold social harmony,” he added.
It is known that a viral post reported the disruption of a church service in Sewon, Bantul, by a group. The church involved is Gereja Misi Sejahtera (GMS).
When confirmed, Acting Head of Bantul’s Coordination Body for Politics and Masses (Kesbangpol), Yulius Suharta, confirmed the incident occurred on Sunday (24 May).
“Kesbangpol does not merely wait for reports; upon receiving information yesterday of potential opposition to GMS activities, we had already coordinated our response,” Yulius told reporters, as reported by detikJogja on Monday (25 May).
He added that Kesbangpol had attempted to anticipate the situation but the incident still occurred.
“However, our priority is to swiftly ensure Bantul remains stable,” he said.
Regarding the timeline, Yulius explained that GMS had previously held activities at a hotel in Sewon. Due to rental costs, they rented a new premises.
“Confirmed to us, on Thursday (21 May), a social event was held there. This was followed by a thanksgiving service for the new worship venue on Sunday,” he said.
Regarding objections leading to the disruption, Yulius cited permit issues.
“The objections relate to whether the proper permits were in place,” he said.
However, Yulius noted GMS had obtained a Surat Keterangan Tanda Lapor (SKTL), though they are still verifying its validity for use as a place of worship.
“We will follow up on interpreting the SKTL’s details to confirm whether it is valid for use as a place of worship or if further administrative steps are required,” he said.