[Kabar-indonesia] "Aliran Kepercayaan" beliefs to be acknowledged by gov't as religion

[Joyo at aol.com]

"Aliran Kepercayaan" religious beliefs to be acknowledged as
religion

TEMPO Interactive, November 1, Jakarta: The government will
acknowledge religious faiths as religions.

"Religious faiths can be included as religions that the
government recognizes," said A. Rasyid Saleh, Director
General of Civil Administration at the Home Affairs
Department, yesterday (31/10).

This matter will be regulated in a Civil Administration
Draft Bill which is now being worked on by the Home Affairs
Department.

According to Rasyid, this draft bill's completion will be
accelerated.

The government's team and the House of Representatives (DPR)
have scheduled a synchronization meeting tomorrow.

The draft bill will also regulate the legal basis for the
acknowledgment of religious faiths in the civil registry.

The legal basis will be arranged so there will not be any
discrimination in the administration of identity cards.

"Hopefully after the synchronization has been completed,
there will be socialization of this matter," said Rasyid.

These materials will be reported and discussed during a
plenary session.

Rasyid said discrimination in the civil registry has so far
experienced by Confucius followers.

"However, Confucians already have a legal basis so there is
no reason for discrimination," he said.

Confucianism has been acknowledged as a religion since
January 24, 2006, by Minister Decision Letter No. MA/12/2006
and is included in the civil registry in line with a
circular letter of Home Affairs Minister.

"Now Confucians is equal with other religions," he said.

Rasyid said the acknowledgement of religious faiths as
official religions is not the authority of his institution,
but the Religious Affairs Minister.

"We will adhere to the standards from the Religious Affairs
Minister," he said.

Religious Affairs Minister Muhammad Maftuh Basyuni
acknowledged he has not yet been informed about the plan of
including religious faiths into on identity cards.

"I haven't been invited to a discussion on this matter,"
Maftuh told Tempo.
So far the Religious Affairs Department has not handled the
matter of religious faiths because it is regarded as a part
of culture, so it is handled by the Culture Department.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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