Guide To How To Reopen Houses Of Worship

Illustration of housing closure (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - In the new normal concept, houses of worship that were closed during the morning of COVID-19 can be reopened. But there are conditions that must be met.

Recommendations for reopening places of worship must come from the regional head. The area around places of worship must also be ensured that it is safe from the spread of COVID-19. In order for the assessment to be right on target, a recommendation from the sub-district head will also be one of the assessments.

Minister of Religion Fachrul Razi explained why the sub-district head would later have an important role. It is feared that the territory of a regional head that is too wide will not even produce an objective assessment of the application for a house of worship. For example, a regent or governor may sometimes reject requests to reopen a house of worship.

"Because if the regent or governor likes to be too far above so sometimes there are places that are completely safe (from COVID-19) but they (regents or governors) may be generalized as if they are not safe because they are provinces or regencies may not yet be secure, so we suggest that this authority be taken by the sub-district level only, "said Fachrul, Wednesday, May 27.

Fachrul's story was that he had protests from people who live far from the red zone, but are still in the same district. Houses of worship, namely mosques, remain closed and are not allowed to be used for prayers.

"I was protested, 'Sir, who is in the red zone in the district, we are a sub-district 55 kilometers from the regency, don't you think we can pray? Or there are only 20 families in the complex and the distance to the sub-district is 10 kilometers. worship can be recommended by the village head and may the sub-district head allow it. So it's very fair, but it needs consultation with the district, "explained Fachrul.

The head of the sub-district together with the sub-district communication forum must see if it is true that the permit to open a house of worship can be issued. The regulation regarding the opening of houses of worship will also be opened this week.

"So the sub-district leadership Communication Forum that studied the validity of the village head's submission, if possible, was really low on the threat of COVID-19, low transmission, after reviewing OK the sub-district head issued a permit with first consultation with the regent," added Fachrul.

"This permit will be revised every month, the number of permits will increase and it can also decrease. If it turns out that after being given the COVID-19 permit, it will increase or the transmission increases, it will be revoked. So we really make it very fair. If it does not meet the requirements , yes, it's not allowed ".

"In the first stage we agreed to pray only and keep it as short as possible. But if things were better, maybe more camat could be allowed to have a kultum (seven minutes lecture), but it returns according to the situation. permit for houses of worship across sub-districts to permit the regent, for inter-district level of places of worship for the governor, "concluded Fachrul.