As most of you are no doubt aware, there are only six religions officially recognized by the Indonesia government: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Indonesian citizens had to put one of those six religions on their ID cards (KTP), regardless of their actual beliefs.
Until now, that is. Yesterday, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo announced that faiths outside of the aforementioned six, must be allowed onto ID cards.
“Those outside of the six religions must still be written and we have instructed all district heads [about this],” said Tjahjo yesterday as quoted by Metro TV.
Tjahjo said one of the main reason for changing the rule was so that authorities would know what funerary rites needed to be observed and respected when a person died.
Tjahjo said it was for that reason that it was important for the government to know exactly what religion each person believes in. He also warned government officials to not coerce people into putting certain religions on their ID cards.
“Don’t force people, for example, to choose Islam if their faith resembles Islamic teachings because it’s not the same; or Catholic if the faith resembles its teachings,” Tjahjo said.
Tjahjo explained, that his ministry had considered the advice and input from various religious leaders, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, before coming to this decision.
While it appears to be mainly an administrative move rather than a philosophical change of heart by the government, it is still a big step forward in the name of religious freedom for Indonesians of all faiths.
