North Lombok, 8 January 2026 - The Governor of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, inaugurated the Purna Pugar Sutta Dhamma Temple and Sasana Giri Temple located in Lenek Village, North Lombok Regency (KLU), on Thursday (8/1/2026). This inauguration is a strong symbol of harmony, tolerance and religious and social progress in the local community.
North Lombok Regency is known as one of the regions with harmonious religious life. In Lenek Village alone, there are more than 40 monks and monk candidates, a remarkable achievement that makes this village the largest contributor of monks from a single village. Bhikkhus from North Lombok have even spread out and served in various regions in Indonesia.
In his speech, Governor Iqbal admitted that he was moved and proud to be able to be present among the Buddhist community at this important moment. He emphasised that his presence was a manifestation of his commitment to fair and inclusive leadership for all religious communities.
‘Every time I ask for prayers from the community, I always ask to be prayed for so that I may become a trustworthy and fair leader. In Islam, justice is the main parameter of leadership. When justice is lost, the essence of leadership is also lost,’ said Governor Iqbal.
He emphasised that the local government must be present and act fairly towards all religious communities, without discriminating based on religious background.
‘Just as we love Muslims, we also want to love Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and all other religious communities. This is the essence of leadership,’ he said.
Governor Iqbal also assessed that the level of community welfare can be seen from the condition of their places of worship. He gave an example of how community prosperity is often expressed through the construction of proper and representative places of worship.
‘The magnificent temple that stands today is a reflection of the welfare of the Lenek community. This is not just a religious building, but also a symbol of social progress,’ he said.
According to him, the temple is not only a place to fulfil spiritual needs, but also a social, cultural and even economic space for the surrounding community.
On this occasion, Governor Iqbal also highlighted the strong tolerance in North Lombok. He described North Lombok as a safe, open and peaceful area, where people are not preoccupied with religious differences, but live side by side as one community.
He likened Indonesia to a mosaic, where beauty is born from a diversity of colours that complement each other. According to him, differences are not a source of problems but rather the greatest wealth of the nation.
In addition to expressing his commitment to tolerance, Governor Iqbal also announced development plans in North Lombok, including the establishment of a state university and the construction of a sports hall (GOR) in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Sangha Agung, Khemacera Mahathera, expressed his highest appreciation for the support of the local government and all Buddhists for the construction of the monastery.
He said that Lenek Village had set a national record within the Indonesian Buddhist Sangha as the village with the largest number of monks and monk candidates.
‘This is an unprecedented achievement and is certainly inseparable from the attention and guidance of the local government, especially the Regent,’ he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Renovation Committee, Barsingan Purnabhuga, explained that the renovation of the monastery was carried out because the old building was no longer adequate to accommodate the growing activities of the community.
‘The construction took approximately six months with a total budget of around Rp900 million, most of which came from community contributions,’ he explained.
The inauguration of the two temples is clear evidence that tolerance, prosperity and togetherness can grow side by side, making North Lombok one of the best examples of religious harmony in West Nusa Tenggara. (rido/jmy/kominfotikntb)