Reasons For Identity Politics, The Constitutional Court Firmly Decides To Ban Campaigns In Places Of Worship

JAKARTA - The Constitutional Court (MK) decided that places of worship and government facilities should not be used as a place of campaign. This was conveyed by the Constitutional Court in a hearing reading the decision of the case submitted by DKI Jakarta DPRD member, Yenny Ong. "Granting applications for part," said Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Anwar Usman while chairing the trial in his voice, Tuesday, August 15. The nine MK judges unanimously decided to revise the explanation of Article 280 paragraph 1 letter h of the Election Law. It is known, Article 280 paragraph 1 letter h of the Election Law which reads: Executors, participants, and election campaign teams are prohibited from using government facilities, places of worship, and educational places. While the explanation is government facilities, places of worship, and educational places can be used if election participants attend without any attributes of election campaigns on the invitation of the person in charge of government facilities, places of worship, and educational places. MK is likely to revise the explanation of Article 280 paragraph 1 letter h of the Election Law into, Executors, participants and election campaign teams are prohibited from using government facilities, places of worship, and educational places, except for government facilities and educational places as long as they get permission from the person in charge of the place in question and are present without the attributes of election campaign.., MK assesses the use of places of worship as a place of campaign has the potential to trigger emotions and controversy as well as damage religious values. Moreover, the condition of the contemporary community that is easily provoked and quickly reacts to issues related to identity politics.

Meskipun demikian, MK menegaskan bahwa pembatasan penggunaan tempat ibadah untuk berkompanye tidak berarti adanya pemisahan antara agama dengan institusi negara. Namun lebih pada proses perbedakan fungsi antara institusi kereligian dengan ranah di luar agama dalam masyarakat, terutama untuk masalah yang memiliki politik praktik yang sangat tinggi," pungkas Hakim MK, Saldi Isra.