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NU National Conference Demands Personal Data Protection, Bars Foreign Access
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

NU National Conference Demands Personal Data Protection, Bars Foreign Access

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) National Conference urged the government to protect personal data and prevent foreign access.
  • Recommendations from the Bahtsul Masail Maudhuiyah commission emphasize the government's responsibility to safeguard national data.
  • The conference cited Islamic jurisprudence, particularly Imam As-Syafi'i's definition of 'mal' (wealth), to categorize personal data as non-physical 'harta' requiring protection.

The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) National Conference has called on the Indonesian government to implement robust protections for citizens' personal data, explicitly urging a ban on unauthorized access by foreign entities. This recommendation stems from the Bahtsul Masail Maudhuiyah commission, which convened during the 2026 National Conference of NU Scholars held in Kediri, East Java.

The government, as the owner of the national data center, has a great responsibility to guard this data so that it does not leak to other parties.

— KH Aniq NawawiMember of the Bahtsul Masail Maudhuiyyah commission at the NU National Conference, emphasizing data security.

KH Aniq Nawawi, a member of the commission, stressed the government's significant role as the custodian of the national data center. He stated, "The government, as the owner of the national data center, has a great responsibility to guard this data so that it does not leak to other parties." He further elaborated that personal data, akin to personal secrets, must be shielded, and any authorized third parties accessing it also bear the responsibility of preventing its dissemination.

Drawing upon Islamic jurisprudence, the conference discussed the concept of 'mal,' traditionally defined as anything of value that can be transacted and must be compensated for if damaged. Imam As-Syafi'i's views were invoked to explain how the definition of 'mal' has evolved in contemporary times to include non-physical assets. Personal data, in this context, is considered 'al-mal al ma'nawi' (non-physical wealth), forming the basis for various personal data controllers.

Personal data is included in personal secrets that must receive protection for its owner.

— Gus AniqReferring to the importance of safeguarding personal information.

Consequently, the commission asserted that data controllers, whether digital platforms or government bodies, are obligated to protect consumer data as a realization of 'hifzhul mal' (preservation of wealth) within the framework of 'maqashid syariah' (the higher objectives of Islamic law). This protection extends even to personal data not perceived to have immediate commercial value, as its misuse can profoundly impact an individual's dignity and well-being. The conference emphasized that safeguarding specific personal data is a crucial implementation of this principle.

So in this case, personal data can be categorized as al-mal al ma'nawi as a database for various personal data controllers.

— Gus AniqExplaining the classification of personal data within Islamic economic principles.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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