The Indonesian President has signed a regulation to ban mass organisations that do not support the nation's ideology.

Key points: Indonesia's security minister said some groups are a national threat, and current laws are inadequate

Indonesia's security minister said some groups are a national threat, and current laws are inadequate The Minister would not reveal which organisations would be targeted

The Minister would not reveal which organisations would be targeted Hard-liners led mass protests against Jakarta's former Christian Governor earlier this year

Joko Widodo issued a regulation in lieu of law — a measure to allow groups to be disallowed if they work against Pancasila, the state ideology which promotes diversity and pluralism.

It's the first concrete move by the President against hard-line Islamic groups, after protests last year targeted the city's former Christian governor.

There are concerns the measure is anti-democratic because the organisations can now be banned without court or parliamentary approval.

In announcing the measure, Indonesia's Security Minister, General Wiranto, insisted it was not an attack against Islamic organisations, and urged people to remain clam.

The retired general said some organisations posed a threat to the nation and the current laws were not adequate to deal with that.

The measure is known as a Perppu, a way of providing legal coverage while laws are developed.

"The Government hopes for the people to remain calm, and accept this Perppu with a clear mind, wisely and considerately," General Wiranto said.

"We have no intention to limit freedom of mass organisations that have clearly given so much contribution to the nation."

Hard-line Islamists led mass protests in Jakarta earlier this year against the former Christian governor. ( AP: Achmad Ibrahim )

Law could target Hizbut Tahrir

The Minister would not reveal which organisations would be targeted, although the Government previously indicated its desire to ban hardline group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) — legal in Australia.

HTI and other groups like the Islamic Defenders Front led mass protests in Jakarta against the former governor, who was later jailed for blasphemy.

The measure is effective immediately but will be retrospectively debated in the Parliament.

Muslim hard-line protesters clashed with riot police during the Jakarta protests. ( Reuters: Antara Foto )

Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia is a pro-Islamic caliphate group that advocates for Sharia law to be implemented across the country, but it has no history of violence unlike the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI)

The Indonesian Government argued HTI threatened peace and order and worked against Pancasila.

"It is not meant to hurt the existence of Islamic organisations or discredit them," General Wiranto said.

"It is solely meant for the greater good, not to discredit the Muslim community."

Hizbut Tahrir is banned in other countries like Germany and Egypt.