Irfandi, Makassar – Indonesia's divorce rate is climbing fast – and it's starting to worry the government. Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said the country is now in a "warning zone," urging couples to take family stability more seriously.
"We've hit a yellow light," Nasaruddin said during a visit to Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Thursday. "No great nation can grow on broken families. If our households are strong, our society and country will be strong too."
While the minister didn't mention specific figures, official statistics show more than 400,000 divorces took place in Indonesia last year. The problem, he said, stems from several factors – declining religious awareness, a more permissive social climate, easy access to digital technology, and the rise in child marriages.
Nasaruddin, who also chairs the Marriage Counseling and Preservation Board (BP4), warned that social media can easily become a trap for couples who lack self-control.
"Smartphones make it easy to flirt or cheat. If we're not careful, we'll end up being slaves to social media," he said.
According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), West Java recorded the highest number of divorces last year at nearly 89,000, followed by East Java (79,000) and Central Java (65,000). Other provinces with high divorce rates include North Sumatra, Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, and South Sulawesi.
The two biggest reasons behind the breakups were constant arguing and financial stress, which together accounted for over 250,000 cases. Domestic violence was the third leading cause, contributing to more than 7,000 divorces.
Nasaruddin said the solution lies in returning to basic values – faith, communication, and mutual respect. "We need to rebuild families that talk, care, and pray together. That's how we build a solid nation."