Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has banned the scheduled concert of American gospel singer Israel Houghton and his band, Israel & New Breed, which was set to take place in Jakarta on October 24, 2026.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Affairs, stated that the decision was made after considering domestic security concerns.
"The decision follows coordination with various ministries, institutions, and relevant agencies regarding the planned 'Til the Whole World Knows Tour 2026' music performance," Mahendra said at a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.
He explained that security considerations were taken into account after the concert drew the attention of some segments of the Indonesian public and sparked controversy in neighboring countries, including Malaysia.
According to Mahendra, the concern stems from similar gospel concerts in other countries being used as platforms for political campaigning in support of Israel, including through expressions of the sentiment "I stand with Israel" during performances.
He said such statements are sensitive because they conflict with Indonesia's foreign policy and its support for the Palestinian people's struggle for independence.
"We do not ban music performances, nor do we take issue with anyone's religion. People are welcome to hold religious activities here," Mahendra said.
"However, if there are political motives that undermine the Palestinian people's struggle, then that is inconsistent with the views and aspirations of our own society," he added.
Mahendra also said that, as of Monday, the organizers had not submitted a permit application, while the artist had not applied for a visa for the concert.
However, he noted that tickets for the event, which was scheduled to be held at Grha Pengharapan in Jakarta, were still being sold through several online ticketing platforms.
"We attempted to find a sponsor for the event but could not locate one in Jakarta. Instead, we discovered that the event is being sponsored by a Kuala Lumpur-based event organizer called Banyak Bagus Entertainment," he said.
Consequently, as the Indonesian government has not granted a permit for the concert, Mahendra expects ticketing agents to immediately stop sales or issue refunds to customers who have already purchased tickets.
Pewarta: Agatha Olivia VIctoria, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor : Vicki Febrianto
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