LONG XUYEN, VIETNAM —-— The Salamad Mosque in Vietnam is part of the affirmation of the strategic role and contribution of Indonesian philanthropic institutions to various countries. This was conveyed by Juperta Panji Utama, Deputy Director-1 of Social, Humanitarian, and Da’wah Programs at Dompet Dhuafa, amid the hustle and bustle of the inauguration of the Salamad Mosque in Long Xuyen, An Giang Province, Vietnam.
Before the Salamad Mosque was built, Haji Chau Mach, the “keeper” of the mosque, acknowledged that the need for a representative mosque in the Long Xuyen area was very important and urgent. According to him, this issue had been largely ignored due to limited funds over the past decade. Meanwhile, the local Muslim community continued to grow.
Currently, said Haji Mach, the core congregation of the community has reached 300 people. For this reason, it is no surprise that the construction of a mosque is necessary. This is because the congregation has been worshipping in crowded conditions on the site of the Salamad Mosque, which has existed since the 1950s.
The Indonesian government saw this situation as an opportunity for cultural diplomacy and da’wah. The government sees it as an integral part of strengthening soft power in Southeast Asia.
In May 2022, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture for the 2019-2024 period, Muhadjir Effendy, visited Long Xuyen. The Coordinating Minister directly advocated for the need for this mosque to the Vietnamese authorities and ensured that this project was seen as a state agenda involving high-level communication.
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Made Santi from the Indonesian Embassy in Hanoi said that the process of obtaining a permit to build a place of worship sponsored by parties outside Vietnam is very sensitive and complex. The Indonesian Embassy in Hanoi and the Indonesian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City need to intervene and play a key role, from the negotiation process to ensuring that the funding scheme from Indonesia does not violate Vietnamese regulations.
In short, the official construction permit from the An Giang Provincial People’s Committee was successfully obtained. The groundbreaking ceremony by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture was held on June 27, 2024. This confirms the political approval at the central and regional levels in Vietnam.
This project, called the “Salamad Indonesia Mosque,” was realized through the orchestration of the Indonesian Humanitarian Forum (HFI) together with its members, namely Dompet Dhuafa, Human Initiative, Rumah Zakat, Baznas RI, DT Peduli, and Lazismu.
According to Surya Rahman, Executive Director of HFI 2022-2025, the total funds allocated for this project reached 5,672,050,000 VND, equivalent to Rp3.5 billion. This reflects the Indonesian public’s trust in philanthropic diplomacy abroad.
Masjid Salamad, explained Surya, is projected to be multifunctional. In addition to being a center for prayer and the celebration of Islamic holidays, this mosque is designed as a center for education, economic training, independence, and even a halal hub for the community.
Despite a strong political foundation, the construction process took 18 months. This is proof that this project was not without challenges. These ranged from the stigma of Islamic intolerance to the lack of unity among local Muslim leaders in developing future missionary work. This was especially true when the Mekong Typhoon season arrived and contractors had difficulty obtaining construction materials that met Indonesian quality standards and Islamic design specifications.
Nguyen Chau, the local contractor for the Salamad Mosque, believes that aside from these issues, the increase in local material prices posed a separate challenge for the construction. However, these challenges did not deter them. In fact, in her speech at the inauguration of the Salamad Mosque, Jane Runkat, Charge D’affaires/Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Hanoi, said that this proves the ongoing efforts to harmonize Indonesia-Vietnam relations.
“We are happy to be here on this wonderful occasion today,” said Jane.
The Salamad Mosque was officially established and began operations on Friday (December 5, 2025). The inauguration was attended by Indonesian diplomatic figures and high-ranking officials from the An Giang Provincial People’s Committee.
The presence of the official Vietnamese delegation was warmly welcomed by the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, represented by the Deputy for Coordination of Character and National Identity Strengthening, Warsito. He expressed his gratitude to all parties, especially the Vietnamese government, for their support and synergy in the construction of this mosque.
The Deputy Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Phuoc, hoped that the relationship and cooperation between An Giang and Indonesia would continue to strengthen. This would promote joint strength and solidify the good partnership between the two countries. He also welcomed this project and underlined Vietnam’s commitment to supporting religious freedom.
Symbolically, Jane Runkat emphasized that this inauguration marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Vietnam. At the same time, it gives a new dimension to the strategic brotherhood between the two countries.
After the inauguration, Juperta Panji Utama emphasized that Dompet Dhuafa remains committed to the next phase for the congregation.
“The goal is to make Masjid Salamad a self-sustaining center of Muslim civilization, not merely a symbol of foreign aid. The sustainability of this mosque will serve as a barometer for the long-term success of the ‘dome diplomacy’ model championed by philanthropic institutions and the Indonesian government,” he concluded. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Ust. Awang Ridwan Suhaedy
Editor: Ronna