HNW Surprised That The Publication Of Loud Speaker Regulations In Mosques Increases Class From Director General To Minister

Hidayat Nur Wahid/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the MPR, Hidayat Nur Wahid, also criticized the issuance of the Circular Letter of the Minister of Religion Number 05 of 2022 concerning Guidelines for Using Loudspeakers in Mosques and Musala.

According to him, the regulation of mosque loudspeakers is not something that has just been issued by the Ministry of Religion. Because, he said, previously there was an Instruction from the Director-General of Islamic Community Guidance Number KEP/D/101/1978 regarding Guidance on the Use of Loudspeakers in Mosques, Langgar, and Musala.

Then, Hidayat continued, the instructions from the Director-General of Islamic Guidance were strengthened in 2018 through Circular Number B.3940/DJ.III/Hk.007/08/2018.

Therefore, the member of Commission VIII of the DPR, who is partnering with the Ministry of Religion, admitted that he was surprised that the mosque loudspeaker was suddenly upgraded from the Director-General to the Minister.

"That used to be the director general's class, why is it now being promoted to ministerial class?" Hidayat said in Jakarta, Wednesday, February 23. The DKI Jakarta electoral district legislator then explained a relatively new issue that emerged from the Minister of Religion's Circular Letter No. 05 of 2022 with the Instructions of the Director-General of Islamic Binmas in 2018. Namely, the use of loudspeakers on the outside of mosques and prayer rooms before the dawn call to prayer.

The directive from the Director-General of Binmas in 2018 stated that loudspeakers on the outside of the mosque could be used 15 minutes before the Fajr call to prayer. Meanwhile, Circular Letter Minister of Religion Number 05 of 2022 states that loudspeakers on the outside of the mosque can be used 10 minutes before the Fajr call to prayer.

The senior PKS politician said there was a five-minute reduction in using loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms. Hidayat then questioned the basis of the study that made the Minister of Religion reduce the duration of using the loudspeaker.

"Is there a study so that it is reduced by five minutes? There is also a maximum decibel limit. Is there a study? For example, then there was a demonstration, the community sued the mosque, right, there was never one," said Hidayat, who is familiarly called HNW.

HNW thinks that the Ministry of Religion should be able to take care of other things instead of regulating loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms. For example, he said, making the security system better by providing surveillance cameras to be installed in mosques.

"Incentives can also be given for security and security in mosques, so that imams, kiai, and ustaz can feel safe," said HNW.

The reason, added HNW, was that there were not a few attacks against mosque imams after worship, such as in Central Java to Riau some time ago. Not to mention, acts of vandalism to the theft of charity boxes in mosques and prayer rooms.

"Well, why is this concrete matter not a concern of the Ministry of Religion?" he said.