Understanding The Concept Of Multi-religious Places Of Worship That Minister Yaqut Once Echoed

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas briefly mentioned places of worship for multi-religion when giving a speech at the Nationality Webinar held by the University of Indonesia Alumni Association on March 5, 2022.

This webinar has the theme "Construction of Houses of Worship in Higher Education as a Means of Interfaith Communication and Student Character Education". Joining in, the General Chair of the University of Indonesia Alumni, Andre Rahadian, Mendikbudristek, UI Chancellor, IPDN Chancellor, Univ. Pancasila, and the Chancellor of UNS.

“The term multi-religious place of worship does not mean one place for worship for all religions. The idea of a multi-religious place of worship is an effort to prepare facilities for places of worship for each religion on campus," explained the Acting Head of the Public Relations, Data and Information Bureau of the Ministry of Religion's Secretariat General Thobib Al Asyhar in Jakarta, Friday, March 11, quoted from the ministry's website.

According to Thobib, this idea is directed at encouraging campuses or universities to prepare facilities for places of worship for students, lecturers, and other stakeholders according to their respective religions. For example, places of worship for Muslims, places of worship for Christians, places of worship for Catholics, places of worship for Hindus, places of worship for Buddhists, and places of worship for Confucians.

"So this idea is an effort so that every student and the academic community can get worship facilities on campus, according to their religion and in their respective places of worship," he continued.

According to Thobib, before holding the Webinar, Iluni UI in October 2021 also had an audience with Gus Minister at the Ministry of Religion Office, Jakarta. Those in the audience were representatives from Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, alumni from various faculties at UI. On that occasion, they conveyed Iluni UI's plan to build facilities for a number of houses of worship in the campus environment.

This plan, said Thobib, has the support of the Minister of Religion Yaqut. Because religious people on campus, both lecturers and students, also need a place of worship.

A number of universities have provided facilities for houses of worship in universities. Thobib gave an example of the facilities of a number of places of worship at the Sumatra Institute of Technology (ITERA). The facility was built in 2021. There, there are six special rooms for worship for each religion.

Recently, Vice President KH Ma'ruf Amin has inaugurated six places of worship built on the campus of Pancasila University, Jakarta. The inauguration was marked by the signing of the inscription by Vice President KH Ma'ruf Amin accompanied by Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan, and Chancellor of Pancasila University Edie Toet Hendratno.

The six places of worship are At-Taqwa Mosque, St. Peter's Catholic Church, Christian Service Graha, Dhamma Sasana Vihara, Widya Santika Temple, and the Great Kebajikan Temple.