Permit Recommendation Revoked at TWB Office Hearing
The Magelang district police (Polresta Magelang) have revoked the permit recommendation for Andrea Bocelli's concert at the Borobudur Temple compound. The revocation was announced by Deputy Police Chief AKBP Bim Rekoaji during a hearing at the Borobudur Tourism Park Unit (TWB) office on Tuesday (13/10/2026), attended by the Forum Bersama Rakyat dan Umat Islam protest coalition, PT TWB representatives, and the Magelang tourism agency.
Police did not detail the reason for the revocation. It is worth noting that what was revoked was the police's permit recommendation — not a full cancellation of the concert. The final status of the event still awaits a decision by the venue manager and related parties.
Pro-Israel Accusations and the Stance of MUI and the Tourism Ministry
The backlash began after the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deemed Andrea Bocelli pro-Israel. The Italian tenor allegedly took part in fundraising for the Israeli military (IDF) in Los Angeles in 2010 and performed in Tel Aviv in 2022. MUI first voiced its opposition on October 10, reiterated by MUI Foreign Relations chief Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim on October 12, who said the concert must be canceled to uphold Indonesia's pro-humanity stance.
The Tourism Ministry (Kemenpar) said it would stand "in line" with MUI's decision. Ministry Secretary Bayu Aji, at a meeting at MUI headquarters in Menteng on Tuesday (13/10), said the ministry was still reviewing the matter and that no official statement had been made by its leadership. He added that licensing authority lies outside the Tourism Ministry.
Billboards Taken Down, FPI Issues Deadline Through Today
On Tuesday (13/10) morning, two promotional billboards were taken down — in front of the Borobudur TIC and at the Lapangan Kujon intersection — by the tourism agency and Magelang public order officers (Satpol PP), with fire department personnel securing traffic. FPI Magelang Raya chairman Senno Saputro, who led the protesting crowd, gave PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) management a 2×24-hour deadline until Thursday (15/10) to confirm whether Borobudur will be used. He voiced concern that a permit could still be issued at the national police headquarters level after the regional recommendation was revoked.
Bocelli Denies Claims, Concert Status Still Uncertain
Andrea Bocelli denied the political accusations in a written statement on October 12, saying his participation was purely grounded in art and shared humanity, with no political or military fundraising involved.
The Borobudur concert is scheduled for October 31, 2026, plus a tour date at JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, on November 3, 2026. As of publication, no permit revocation has been reported for the Jakarta concert. The fate of the Borobudur show now rests with the venue manager as the 2×24-hour deadline expires today.
