Denies Survey Setara Institute Depok City Intolerance, Deputy Mayor Imam Budi: We Are In Harmony, All Are Tolerant

Deputy Mayor of Depok, West Java Imam Budi Hartono (ANTARA PHOTOS)

DEPOK - Deputy Mayor (Wawali) Imam Budi Hartono emphasized that the City of Depok has implemented an attitude of tolerance between communities, both in social and religious matters. Community life has been created in harmony and cohesion.

"The city of Depok has lived in harmony for years, friendly, we are comfortable. Everything is tolerant in Depok City. We live in harmony," he said in Depok, West Java, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, April 6.

This was conveyed by Imam responding to the results of a survey released by the Setara Institute which stated that Depok City is an intolerant city. According to him, Depok City makes tolerance and diversity the main pillars in the third mission listed in the 2021-2026 Regional Medium-Term Development Plan, to create a religious and cultural society based on diversity and family resilience.

He said that to implement the affirmative and partiality policy for religious life, it was carried out with justice. These include the Incentive Fund program for spiritual guides for all religions and the issuance of a free building permit (IMB) for houses of worship.

"There are also grants for places of worship and religious stakeholders as well as support for the Forum for Religious Harmony in the city of Depok," he said.

According to him, all efforts are being made so that the rights of religious freedom of citizens can be upheld. Respect for differences is respected, and tolerance for pluralism and diversity is realized.

Imam said several areas in Depok City, even since the time Perumnas was built, have also become very diverse areas that symbolize tolerance, namely differences in beliefs can coexist.

He emphasized that mosques, temples and churches are close together, precisely on Jalan Kerinci Raya Depok 2 Tengah, Abadijaya Village, Sukmajaya District, Depok City.

"Since the first life in harmony, there are no problems in carrying out their respective worship. Mutual respect and tolerance live in harmony," he said.

In addition, he said, Depok City also has an official institution as a unifying communication forum across religious communities, namely the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB).

"In this institution, leaders from six official religions are gathered that are protected by the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Any problems or disturbances in religious life are resolved through deliberation through this institution," he said.

"Alhamdulillah, two decades after Depok was established, there were no incidents of intolerance in Depok City," he added.

He said the legal and coaching policies were carried out in accordance with the Joint Regulation of the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Home Affairs Number: 9 of 2006 / Number: 8 of 2006. Namely on Guidelines for the Implementation of Duties of Regional Heads/Deputy Regional Heads in Maintaining Religious Harmony, Empowering Community Harmony Forums. Religion and the Establishment of Houses of Worship.

In 2021 the Research and Development and Training Agency of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) released the National Survey of Religious Harmony Index (KUB), the index measures the level of harmony of religious communities in Indonesia through three dimensions, namely tolerance, equality, and cooperation.

The index puts Depok City at 72.7, still higher than the national index at 72.39 and DKI Jakarta at 72.2.