Indonesian Minister: National Defense Policy Does Not Specifically Target LGBTQ+

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Prisons, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, has clarified that Indonesia's Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025 concerning the General Policy of National Defense for 2025–2029 is not a specific regulation targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. Mahendra explained that the regulation serves as a guideline for national defense policy, stemming from Law No. 3 of 2002 on National Defense. Within this framework, the government categorizes threats to national resilience into three types: military, non-military, and hybrid threats. "This Presidential Regulation does not specifically talk about LGBTQ+. LGBTQ+ is just one element that can be a non-military threat to the existence of our nation and state," Mahendra stated. He stressed that non-military threats encompass a broad range of issues, including social and cultural matters, natural disasters, pandemics, global warming, and the spread of ideologies contrary to Pancasila, the state's foundational philosophy. Mahendra urged against a narrow interpretation of the regulation, highlighting that national defense also involves ideological, cultural, social, and psychological resilience. He differentiated between individuals and the spread of ideologies, stating that individuals are not considered threats. Instead, the concern lies with the dissemination of ideologies, philosophies, or cultures that could potentially undermine national resilience if widely practiced. The government aims to anticipate the spread of propaganda through various media channels to protect national cultural values, Pancasila, and Indonesia's identity as a religious and diverse nation. Mahendra firmly asserted that the regulation must not be used as a basis for persecution, threats, or violence against individuals.

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This Presidential Regulation does not specifically talk about LGBTQ+. LGBTQ+ is just one element that can be a non-military threat to the existence of our nation and state.