Singkawang, Indonesia's Most Tolerant City in 2023

Based on the Tolerant City Index (IKT) by the Setara Institute, Singkawang was the most tolerant city in Indonesia in 2023.

"This city has transformed into a city that is strong in the governance of Indonesian diversity," wrote the Setara Institute in its report.

The Setara Institute measured the IKT in 94 out of 98 cities in Indonesia. The four cities eliminated were administrative cities in DKI Jakarta, which were then merged into one.

The IKT is assessed based on 8 indicators, namely:

1. The advancement of tolerance in the Medium-Term Regional Development Plan (RPJMD);
2. The presence or absence of discriminatory policies;
3. Intolerance incidents;
4. Civil society dynamics related to tolerance issues;
5. Statements by key officials on tolerance issues;
6. Concrete actions related to tolerance issues;
7. Religious heterogeneity of the population; and
8. Religious social inclusion.

These various indicators are then formulated into a score on a scale of 1-7 points. The higher the score, the better the tolerance in a region is assumed to be.

In 2023, Singkawang City, located in West Kalimantan, achieved a score of 6.5, the highest among other cities.

Here is a complete list of the 10 most tolerant cities in Indonesia in 2023 based on the Setara Institute's IKT score:

1. Singkawang: 6.5 points
2. Bekasi: 6.46 points
3. Salatiga: 6.45 points
4. Manado: 6.4 points
5. Semarang: 6.23 points
6. Magelang: 6.22 points
7. Kediri: 6.073 points
8. Sukabumi: 5.997 points
9. Kupang: 5.953 points
10. Surakarta: 5.8 points

According to the Head of the Setara Institute Board, Ismail Hasani, the achievement of the top 10 cities is the result of cooperation between the government and the community.

"What is assessed is not only the performance of the mayor. Indeed, the mayor's performance is the most decisive, but there is also the performance of the community, religious leaders, social figures, and elements of civil society," said Ismail, quoted from VOA Indonesia, Tuesday (30/1/2024).

Meanwhile, the least tolerant cities in Indonesia in 2023 were Sabang (4.457 points), Bandar Lampung (4.450 points), and Palembang (4.433 points).