Regarding The Establishment Of Houses Of Worship, Surakarta City Government: There Must Be Clear Guidelines

Deputy Mayor of Surakarta Teguh Prakosa while chairing the Coordination Meeting of the Surakarta City Religious Harmony Forum, Tuesday (24/5/2022). ANTARA/HO-Surakarta City Government

SURAKARTA - The Surakarta City Government, Central Java, stated that there must be clear guidelines regarding the establishment of houses of worship prepared by the relevant parties so that the process does not seem complicated.

"There must be clear guidelines from the 'leading sector', including the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), the Public Works and Spatial Planning Service (DPUPR), and the Investment Service and One Stop Integrated Services (DPMPTSP)," said the Deputy Mayor. Surakarta City Teguh Prakosa at the Surakarta City Religious Harmony Forum Coordination Meeting, reported by Antara, Tuesday, May 24.

He said the establishment of places of worship for all religions needed a permit and to manage them, clear and non-overlapping rules were needed.

"In this case, FKUB, DPMPTSP, PUPR must sit together so that it is easy for residents to take care of licensing for places of worship at the government level because at the lower level or the community environment it is also not easy," he said.

In addition, according to him, every house of worship must be identified by the government, especially through building approvals (PBG).

"The issue of licensing places of worship is expected not to trigger intolerance and division in society so as to disrupt conduciveness. We hope that the biggest and the small ones are not harmonious. How can the big protect the small and the small complement it," he said. Politics (Kesbangpol) Surakarta City Indradi said that licensing for the establishment of places of worship must be completed at the environmental level where places of worship will be established.

"After the completion of the next step, the PBG will only be taken care of. FKUB can facilitate and must be completed at the lower level, lest the PBG requirements are completed but the licensing below has not been completed," he said.

Meanwhile, in accordance with Law Number 28 of 2022, the building construction permit (IMB) has been replaced with PBG according to Law Number 16 of 2021. The PBG regulation regulates the provisions for the designation of a building according to residential, business, religious functions including places of worship, social culture, and special functions.