The scheduled performance of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at the Candi Borobudur temple on October 31, 2026, faces conflicting official stances after Central Java Police Chief Inspector General Roy Hardi Siahaan stated that regional authorities have issued no recommendation to revoke the event’s permits, contradicting local police actions.
Jurisdictional Friction Over Permit Revocations
Speaking at the Central Java DPRD office on Thursday, October 15, 2026, Inspector General Roy Hardi Siahaan clarified that the regional police force never pursued the cancellation of the concert. He explained that event recommendations originate at the local level in Magelang, pass through the provincial police, and ultimately require authorization from the Security Intelligence Agency (BIK) at the National Police Headquarters. According to Roy, the regional force only assesses the operational viability of an event rather than directly issuing or invalidating national event licenses.
This clarification directly challenges actions taken earlier in the week by local law enforcement. On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Magelang Wakapolresta AKBP Bim Rekoaji announced during an audience at the Taman Wisata Borobudur (TWB) office that the local police had officially rescinded their recommendation for the concert permit. Besides the Deputy Police Chief, Commercial Group Head PT TWB AY Suhartanto and Head of the Magelang Regency Tourism, Youth, and Sports Office Farnia Berliani Sri Tulodho were also present during the forum. Farnia Berliani Sri Tulodho stated that the billboards were taken down at two locations: Di depan TIC (Tourist Information Center) Borobudur dan di pertigaan Lapangan Kujon,
as reported on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Meanwhile, Head of the Magelang Regency Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) and Fire Department Syarifudin stated that he was unaware of the advertising permit details because billboard authorizations fall under the tourism agency’s purview, adding that his department coordinated with the environment office for crane support and secured the roadway during the removal operation which took place around 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
The Humanitarian Objections and Historical Precedent
The administrative tug-of-war stems from sustained pressure by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which has demanded the government cancel Bocelli’s upcoming Indonesian performances. MUI Foreign Relations Head Professor Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim argued that the tenor’s past involvement in fundraising for the Israel Defense Forces in Los Angeles in 2010 and a subsequent concert in Tel Aviv in 2022 render him unacceptable for cultural platforms during the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics data shows that approximately 82 percent of buildings in Gaza—exceeding 201,290 structures—were damaged or destroyed by Israeli aggression between October 7, 2023, and June 16, 2026, alongside widespread devastation of healthcare infrastructure. Following his 2011 performance at the closing concert of the Israeli Opera Festival in Masada and a meeting with then-Shimon Peres, Bocelli visited Jerusalem and sites in the occupied Old City, later expressing open admiration by describing Israel as a place that resonated with him and left a strong impression. MUI positioned the protest as part of a consistent national stance against entities linked to military actions in Palestine, following the earlier cancellation of a concert featuring American musician Israel Houghton.
Beyond Central Java, the controversy has drawn legislative scrutiny in the capital.
Administrative Next Steps and National Oversight
With regional police confirming they forwarded a favorable initial assessment while local substations reported a formal retraction, the final authority rests with the National Police Headquarters. Inspector General Roy Hardi Siahaan stated that provincial investigators will audit the procedural status of the documentation to determine the operational reality ahead of the October 31 date. While the government had previously anticipated the event to stimulate regional tourism and creative industries, the widening gap between regional concessions and national oversight leaves the concert’s immediate future uncertain. Reflecting the broader international itinerary of the artist, Andrea Bocelli performed during the opening ceremony ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A football match between Mexico and South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026, prior to his scheduled events in Indonesia and a subsequent Romanza world tour stop in Petra, Jordan, on November 27, 2026.
