Admits There Is An Insistence On The Ministry Of Religion Of South Sulawesi To Remove The Christmas Greeting Banner But It Is Rejected, The Special Staff: We Serve All Religions

Photo screenshot of Abu Janda's Instagram account

JAKARTA - Special Staff of the Minister of Religion for Tolerance, Terrorism, Radicalism and Islamic Boarding Schools, Nuruzzaman confirmed that the South Sulawesi Ministry of Religion Regional Office issued a circular regarding the installation of Christmas and New Year's (Nataru) greeting banners. And he also admitted that there was pressure for the circular to be revoked.

That's why Nuruzzaman denied the news that the Regional Office of the South Sulawesi Ministry of Religion had withdrawn the circular. According to him, the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Sulawesi has never revoked the circular for the installation of Christmas and New Year's banners.

Nuruzzaman admitted that there was indeed a request for the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Sulawesi to revoke the circular. However, it was not done. This is because the Ministry of Religion is a vertical agency and also a representative of the state.

"The Ministry of Religion is the ministry of all religions, not just the ministry of one religion. The Ministry of Religion is obliged to protect, serve, and safeguard all religions, including maintaining religious harmony," said Nuruzzaman, quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Religion as seen by the editor, Monday, December 20.

"The state, in this case the Ministry of Religion, including the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of South Sulawesi, is obliged to serve all religions," he said.

Previously, social media activist Permadi Arya had high appreciation for posting a photo of Christmas tree decorations in the lobby of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) Office, Jalan Lapangan Banteng Barat, Jakarta. The man who is familiarly called Abu Janda said that it was only during the leadership era of Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas or Gus Yaqut that Christmas tree decorations stood at the Ministry of Religion office.

"This is the lobby of the central ministry of religion @kemenag_ri on Jalan Lapangan Banteng. It was only in the era of Gus Minister @gusyaqut that it was decorated with Christmas nuances, isn't that cool?😍," said Abu Janda on his Instagram account.