TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has expressed concern over the increasing number of divorces attributed to online gambling and political differences. During the opening of the 17th National Assembly of the Marriage Guidance and Preservation Advisory Board (BP4) on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, he highlighted the impact of these factors on marital stability.

“Before the proliferation of online gambling, the number of divorces in 2019 was about a thousand, but after the surge in online gambling, we have seen an increase to over 4,000 cases. Approximately 4,000 divorces were directly linked to online gambling,” Nasaruddin said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

Furthermore, he noted a rise in divorces due to political differences. He cited a particular province where 500 divorce cases were attributed to differing political affiliations between spouses.

“This shows the fragility of some marriages,” Nasaruddin remarked.

To address this issue, the Minister urged BP4 to conduct more quantitative research to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to divorce. He emphasized the importance of data-driven insights. “This is time to speak with numbers,” he said.

Kamaruddin Amin, the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, outlined the ministry’s strategy to address divorce issues. Starting in 2025, all prospective couples will be required to undergo mandatory pre-marital counseling.

“We have observed a strong correlation between marriage counseling and family resilience. Couples who receive counseling tend to have stronger families and are less likely to experience divorce, domestic violence, or have stunted children,” Kamaruddin explained.

Editor’s Choice: Online Gambling Affects Over 960,000 Indonesian Students: Minister

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News