West Aceh regency bans music concerts following advice from clerics

Aceh is a semi-autonomous region and the only one in Indonesia that’s allowed to implement sharia law. So if there’s any area in Indonesia that would ban concerts, it would be Aceh.

Yesterday, West Aceh Regent Teuku Alaidinsyah announced that concerts are banned in the region because they are against sharia principles.

“The ban on music concerts in West Aceh was due to recommendation from ulemas (clerics) who feel that there is more harm than benefits in concerts,” said Alaidinsyah, as quoted by Kompas today.

That said, not all live music in West Aceh is banned – Alaidinsyah said that small gigs are still allowed in cafes.

This ban came following the West Aceh Regency Council’s prohibition of a gig by local singer Bergek in the regency.

To each region their own, we suppose, but we can’t help but feel sorry for those who live in the regency who can no longer enjoy going to a concert because some clerics said so.



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on